[Anil Deshmukh probe] Maharashtra government tells Bombay High Court it will handover documents including Rashmi Shukla's report to CBI

The Maharashtra government has agreed to hand over documents n connection with the report submitted by IPS officer Rashmi Shukla which had been sought by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for conducting investigation into the case against former State Home Minister Anil Deshmukh..A statement was made by Maharashtra counsel before the Bombay High Court that documents will be handed over by August 31.The statement was made before the Bench of Justices SS Shinde and NJ Jamadar while hearing an application by the CBI seeking documents which included documents pertaining to transfer and posting of police officers during the time Deshmukh served as Home Minister..The documents sought included a certified copy of the letter submitted by Shukla to the Director General of Maharashtra Police which contains a report on the transfer and postings. CBI also sought report annexures and Digital devices and the panchnama which showed how the documents had been transferred from one investigation department to another. .Senior Advocate Rafique Dada appearing for the Maharashtra government submitted that out of the documents sought by CBI, the certified copies of the panchnama will not be handed over. Dada submitted that CBI's query pertaining to the number of copies made of the annexures and the digital devices will also not be provided since the same is not known. .Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh at this point stated that the panchnama was merely a document to show the chain of events on handing over of documents.However, Dada vehemently opposed this request maintaining that the same was not necessary for the Deshmukh probe. .The Court took on record the statement filed and recorded the undertaking that the documents which had been agreed for - which was Shukla's report, the annexures and the digital devices will be handed over by August 31, 2021..After recording the statements of the State government, the Court emphasised that such issues need not have come before the Court in the first place. "Both of you State and CBI.. these matters need not come before the Court. On many occasions, the State and CBI share (document and information) especially on intra-state issues, crime spread over other states. Both CBI or you (State investigation agencies) need co-operation and then it is provided also," the Bench highlighted. .At the end of the hearing Justice Shinde pointed out how the glory of State of Maharashtra ought to be maintained. "This State has been a fine State since independence, the development and the reputation has been one step ahead of all States. We need to maintain that," Justice Shinde stated. .Through their application, the CBI had sought documents pertaining to transfer and posting of police officers during the time Deshmukh served as Home Minister.When such demand was challenged by the State government in their plea, the High Court dismissed such plea which was also upheld by the Supreme Court..While issuing notice on CBI's application, the Court directed the Maharashtra government to follow the order in letter and spirit.They also asked the Chief Public Prosecutor Aruna Pai to ensure that no "unfavourable situation" is created which could compel the Court to take the officers to task..[Anil Deshmukh case] Why is State not handing over documents to CBI? Bombay High Court to Maharashtra government.The Bench had in an earlier hearing demanded to know why the Maharashtra government has not provided relevant documents to the CBI and also asked the State which documents it would be willing to be provide.