Maharashtra government to respond after studying Bombay HC order on Anil Deshmukh: Sanjay Raut

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government will come out with its response after studying the Bombay High Court judgement ordering a preliminary CBI probe into the allegations of corruption against Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said on Monday.

Earlier in the day, the HC directed the CBI to conduct a preliminary inquiry within 15 days into allegations of corruption and misconduct levelled by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh against Deshmukh.

Deshmukh, a senior leader of the NCP, a key ally in the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government, resigned from the cabinet after the HC order, his party announced.

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Talking to reporters, Raut said the MVA government will study the judgement and then respond.

"No investigating agency is an incarnation of God. The issue is political, too. Our tradition is that we honour decisions of the judiciary," the Sena MP said.

The judgement needs to be studied in detail after which Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray or someone from the government would respond on his behalf, Raut said.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G S Kulkarni said this was an "extraordinary" and "unprecedented" case that warranted an independent inquiry.

In its 52-page judgement, the bench said Singh's allegations against Deshmukh had put at stake the citizen's faith in the state police.