CBI gets custody of Deshmukh 'aides', Vaze till April 11
A special CBI court on Monday remanded former state home minister Anil Deshmukh's two aides - his personal secretary Sanjeev Palande and personal assistant Kundan Shinde along with former policeman Sachin Vaze in the agency's custody till April 11 in the corruption case it is probing against the NCP leader. The agency also complained to the court that Deshmukh deliberately got himself admitted in a hospital on Saturday to avoid custodial interrogation, after learning about the court order for his production before it for custody.
The CBI sought to take the accused to its headquarters in Delhi, where the case was registered. It said the accused may be needed to go for scientific interrogation techniques during the confrontation, for which they may be needed to be taken to the capital. It further said that the records cannot be removed from Delhi. The state government is not cooperating, it said and told the court that they are investigating under tremendous pressure and difficult situations. "Anything can happen. So we cannot shift records from Delhi to maintain secrecy and sanctity," prosecutor Raj Mohan Chand told the court. The court said that the investigation officer is at liberty to act as per his wish in accordance with law and a separate direction need not be given in this regard.
Regarding Deshmukh's hospitalisation, the CBI complained that it reached the Arthur Road jail on Monday to take his custody but was informed by the jail authorities that Deshmukh has been admitted to a hospital since Saturday due to a fall that resulted in a shoulder dislocation.
Prosecutor Chand told the court that the timing is important. The jail superintendent came to know about the court order on Friday and on Saturday Deshmukh got admitted. "This is nothing but to circumvent the process of law and evade the order of court," he told the court. He sought that the hospital authorities be directed to produce records. The court said the investigating officer can take recourse of law and refused to pass any directions.