The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to entertain petitions by the Maharashtra government and former state Home minister Anil Deshmukh, challenging the Bombay High Court order directing a preliminary enquiry by the CBI into corruption allegations levelled by former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh.
A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Hemant Gupta said: “The nature of allegations is serious and the persons involved require investigations by independent agency. It is a matter of public confidence.”
Upholding the Bombay High Court order, the top court dismissed the petitions filed by Maharashtra government and Deshmukh.
“He (Deshmukh) did not resign when the state set up a Commission of Enquiry. He quit after High Court order. He was clinging to office,” it observed. During the hearing, the bench also remarked that former Mumbai Police Commissioner, who made the allegations against him, was not Deshmukh’s enemy but instead, “was almost his right hand man”.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal argued that court has to stay on guard while ordering investigation against a constitutional authority, and there has to be some material on which allegations are made but in this case, it is only hearsay.
He said due to these baseless allegations damage has been done to me (Deshmukh).
Advocate A M Singhvi said the state government was not heard by the High Court on the aspect of the CBI probe and alleged that it was in violation of federal structure.