After getting three months to investigate charges against the former Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Vilasrao Deshmukh, for misuse of power during his tenure as Chief Minister, the Mumbai police on Monday sought an extension of one month to submit their findings before the court.
The applicant, who had alleged in a private complaint against Mr. Deshmukh three months ago, that he had misused his constitutional powers to protect a Congress legislator's moneylender father from police action, on Monday alleged that the police were dragging their feet in the investigation. “These are delaying tactics used by the police to protect the powerful politician, I told the court,” Ashish Giri, advocate for the applicant, told The Hindu .
Social activist Abdul Malik Chaudhary had filed a private complaint in March, seeking an investigation by the police against Mr. Deshmukh, alleging that in 2006, he protected the Sanandas, a leading moneylender family in Buldhana, against police action.
“There were a lot of farmer suicides happening in the region and there were complaints against the Sanandas. Dilipkumar Sananda was the MLA from that area at that time. He sought Mr. Deshmukh's help. Mr. Sananda and Mr. Deshmukh held a meeting with the Collector of Buldhana, and directed him to issue an order to the Superintendent of Police of Buldhana, stating that no complaint should be registered against the Sananda family,” Mr. Giri told The Hindu .
After hearing the complaint, the local court had directed the Marine Drive police station, on March 11, to investigate the charges against Mr. Deshmukh, Congress legislator Dilipkumar Sananda, and his moneylender father Gokulchand Sananda, and submit the report by June 11.
