Anil Deshmukh extortion case

On 18 March 2021, Param Bir Singh, who had worked closely with him, was removed from his post of Mumbai Police Commissioner. Singh claimed, in a detailed letter to the Maharashtra Chief Minister, that Vaze was involved in a scheme to collect ₹100 crore (US$14 million) from businesses in Mumbai per month as demanded by the Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh. Singh claimed that Deshmukh had held meetings in February, 2021 at his residence with police officers including Sachin Vaze of Crime Intelligence Unit, Mumbai and Sanjay Patil, ACP Social Service Branch, Mumbai, "bypassing their seniors and had instructed them that he had a target to accumulate ₹100 crore (US$14 million) every month and had directed (the police officer) to collect money from various establishments and other sources." Deshmukh's office denied the claim and stated that Param Bir Singh made false allegations against him to save himself from legal action.

Devendra Fadnavis claimed that Vaze and Param Bir Singh were just pawns in the hands of the current Maha Vikas Aghadi (a coalition of NCP, Shiv Sena and Indian National Congress) state government. Param Bir Singh asked the Supreme Court on March 22 for a CBI probe against Deshmukh, claiming interference by him in police investigations. The Supreme Court observed that the allegations and counter-allegations between Singh and Deshmukh are serious, but the case should be heard by the High Court first. Subsequently, Singh withdrew the plea before the Supreme Court and moved the High Court.

Mumbai-based newspaper Mid-day has learned from members of the Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association (AHAR) that Vaze had started collecting money from December 2020. Vaze would call from his office inside the compound of the Commissioner of Police office to pay monthly amounts and if paid, he would ensure that Social Service Branch would not conduct any raids. It reported a source stating that "SSB carried out raids at hotels and bars and filed cases. The last SSB raid was in early February. After that, no raid was conducted as everybody agreed to pay the money to be able to operate."

On April 5, 2021, the Bombay High Court directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to begin a preliminary inquiry within 15 days into corruption allegations on Anil Deshmukh. A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Girish Kulkarni stated that "this was an 'extraordinary' and 'unprecedented' case that warranted an independent inquiry". Shortly after the high court order, Deshmukh met NCP chief Sharad Pawar and his party leaders and offered to resign. Later he sent his resignation to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. In his letter penned in Marathi, Deshmukh said he is stepping down on 'moral grounds' after the Bombay High Court's order. A day after his resignation, The Maharashtra government moved to the Supreme Court challenging the Bombay High Court order, but the Supreme Court dismissed their plea.

On April 23, 2021, The Central Bureau of Investigation filed an FIR under Section 7 of the amended Prevention of Corruption Act, and Section 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against Deshmukh after winding up its preliminary enquiry and carried out searches at multiple locations in the state in connection with Deshmukh and a few of his close associates.

During its preliminary enquiry, the CBI questioned Deshmukh and his aides, including his personal assistant Kundan Shinde and personal secretary Sanjeev Palande. The CBI also recorded statements of Param Bir Singh, Sachin Waze, who is in the custody of the NIA, DCP Raju Bhujbal, ACP Sanjay Patil, Advocate Jayshree Patil, a petitioner, and hotel owner Mahesh Shetty. Sachin Waze, in his statement, claimed Shinde was present during one such conversation where demand for bribes was made by Deshmukh.

See also

• Mukesh Ambani bomb scare case