The Supreme Court on Monday turned down the CBI’s appeal challenging bail granted to former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh, who was arrested on charges of graft and money laundering.
A three-judge bench presided by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud said the NCP leader had already been granted bail in the case under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) arising out of the same transactions.He has been granted bail in the PMLA case as well. SLP dismissed. Same observations as in PMLA case,” the bench, also comprising Justices V Balasumbramanian and J B Pardiwala, said.The PMLA case is being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).Appearing for CBI, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the charges are serious.Bombay HC had granted Deshmukh bail in the CBI case December 12, but directed that it will become effective only after 10 days so that the agency can approach the Supreme Court to challenge it.Although the agency approached the HC again seeking extension of the stay, saying it had not been able to get an urgent hearing in the SC, the High Court refused to grant the request.The CBI filed the FIR against Deshmukh following a preliminary investigation conducted on the direction of Bombay HC. The HC direction came on a plea by former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh, who had alleged that Deshmukh exercised “undue influence” over the transfer and posting of police officials and also used the now-dismissed Mumbai Police assistant inspector Sachin Waze to illegally collect Rs 100 crore every month, including Rs 40crore to Rs 50 crore from 1,750 bars and restaurants in the city.The CBI, in December last year, approached the Supreme Court challenging the Bombay High Court order granting bail to Deshmukh in the graft case.The high court had on December 12 granted bail to the 73-year-old NCP leader but said the order will be effective after 10 days, as the Central Bureau of Investigation sought time to challenge it in the apex court.