[BREAKING] Bombay High Court grants bail to Anil Deshmukh in corruption case

The Bombay High Court on Monday granted bail to the former Maharashtra cabinet minister Anil Deshmukh in a corruption case filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)..Justice MS Karnik pronounced the verdict today after reserving the plea on December 8. The former Maharashtra Home Minister will now be released from jail after a year long judicial custody in the corruption case and connected money laundering case.Deshmukh was directed to be released on bail on furnishing bail bond in the sum of ₹1 lakh with one or more sureties..After the order was pronounced, CBI requested that this order be made effective after 10 days from today. This request was strongly opposed Nikam. However, considering the nature of the controversy, Justice Karnik deemed it to be in the interest of justice to make the order effective after a period of ten days from today..Deshmukh is embroiled in two investigations arising from same allegation - one by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for offence of corruption and the other by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for the offence of money laundering.Deshmukh was granted bail in the money laundering case by the Bombay High Court on October 4. However, in the CBI case, the special court refused him bail, and the same was challenged by Deshmukh before the High Court..Senior Advocate Vikram Chaudhari, and Advocate Aniket Nikam appearing for Deshmukh contended that since both cases are connected, and since Deshmukh was granted bail in the ED case, he ought to be granted bail in the CBI case. Chaudhari contended that Deshmukah has spent over a year incarcerated, for allegedly committing an offence which was punishable upto 7 years imprisonment. Chaudhari also informed the Court that the controversial former Mumbai cop Sachin Waze had been made an approver in CBI’s case. However, the High Court had raised doubts over the veracity of Waze’s statements while granting bail to Deshmukh in the ED case..The Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh appearing for CBI opposed the plea stating the minister had been involved in corruption of the highest level that affected governance in the state. Singh also contended that bail granted in a money laundering case could not be a ground for granting bail in the predicate offence (in this case, corruption case). Deshmukh had been refused relief in his pleas seeking quashing of CBI FIR and default bail, the ASG pointed out.Singh also expressed apprehension that being an influential person, Deshmukh may interfere with the pending investigation in the case..[Read order]