‘My residence can be raided…can be arrested anytime’: NCP-SCP leader Anil Deshmukh

NAGPUR: Former Maharashtra Home Minister and NCP-SCP leader Anil Deshmukh on Tuesday blamed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for filing the case against him through the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and claimed that his residence could be raided and he could be arrested anytime.

“The CBI has filed an FIR against me by raking up a four-year-old case of Jalgaon because of Devendra Fadnavis. I have been accused of trying to take action in the case of BJP leader Girish Mahajan in Jalgaon by pressurising the police using my influence as State Home Minister. This is the allegation levelled against me. I am aware that because of Devendra Fadnavis, my residence can be raided anytime, and I can be arrested anytime…I am ready for it,” Anil Deshmukh said, addressing a press conference in Nagpur.

#WATCH | Nagpur: Former Maharashtra Home Minister and NCP-SCP leader Anil Deshmukh says, ” CBI has filed an FIR against me by raking up a four-year-old case of Jalgaon because of Devendra Fadnavis. I have been accused of trying to take action in the case of BJP leader Girish… pic.twitter.com/43Kbh1eMfN

— ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2024

On September 4, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a case against Anil Vasantrao Deshmukh, former Home Minister of Maharashtra, and four others, including senior police officers for allegedly implicating Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in false cases.

The FIR into the matter has been registered against Pravin Pandit Chavan, the then Special Public Prosecutor Maharashtra, Vijay Bhaskarrao Patil, Poornima Gaikwad, the then DCP, Sushma Chavan, the ACP, Anil Vasantrao Deshmukh, the then Home Minister of Maharashtra and other unknown public servants and unknown persons.

A copy of the FIR reads that a preliminary inquiry was registered in CBI. Pen drives containing audio and video recordings were handed over to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker by the then opposition leader, Devendra Fadnavis, which were subsequently handed over to CID for inquiry through the Director General of Police, Maharashtra.

During the preliminary inquiry, it has prima facie surfaced that Parvin Pandit Chavan, Special PP, conspired with Vijay Bhaskarrao Patil and Anil Vasantrao Deshmukh alias Anil Deshmukh, the then Home Minister, Maharashtra, and got registered zero FIR at Nimbhora police station in Jalgaon pertaining to the alleged incident of 2018 that occurred in Pune city to falsely implicate BJP leaders and others to wrest control of the Jalgaon Zila Maratha Vidhya Prasarak Sahakari Samaj Limited (Educational institution). Later on, the Zero FIR was transferred to Pune.

In furtherance to the criminal conspiracy, Parvin Pandit Chavan, Special Public Prosecutor, along with Vijay Bhaskarrao Patil and police officers, namely Poornima Gaikwad, the then DCP and Sushma Chavan, ACP of the case, fabricated the statements of witnesses/evidence to falsely implicate the BJP leaders and other innocent persons. (ANI)