Nagpur: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Pravin Pandit Chavan, and several senior police officers for allegedly conspiring to falsely implicate Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in fabricated criminal cases. The FIR, filed by the CBI’s Special Crime Branch-III in New Delhi, follows a comprehensive preliminary enquiry.

The investigation stems from evidence submitted in 2022 by then Opposition Leader Devendra Fadnavis, which included pen drives containing audio and video recordings. These recordings allegedly exposed a conspiracy involving Chavan and senior police officers to frame BJP leaders. The recordings were forwarded to Maharashtra’s CID for further examination.

The enquiry was initiated after Maharashtra MLAs Girish Mahajan, Mangesh Chavan, Jaykumar Rawal, and Sanjay Kute filed four applications, accusing Chavan, Deshmukh, and certain police officers of orchestrating a scheme to frame BJP leaders in false cases.

Key Allegations:

1. Conspiracy to Frame BJP Leaders: The pen drives purportedly show Chavan conspiring with police officials to falsely implicate BJP leaders by tutoring witnesses and arranging illegal payments to facilitate investigations.

2. Fabrication of Evidence: The recordings reportedly reveal instructions on manipulating raids, planting evidence, and filing false cases under severe charges such as the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

3. Financial Misconduct: The enquiry indicates that hotel bookings and payments for search teams were arranged by Chavan to further the alleged conspiracy.

The CBI’s investigation revealed that Chavan, along with Vijay Bhaskarrao Patil (a complainant in an FIR filed at Kothrud Police Station), Deputy Commissioner of Police Pournima Gaikwad, and Assistant Commissioner of Police Sushma Chavan, played a key role in fabricating witness statements and evidence to frame BJP leaders.

In a significant development, the investigation uncovered that a “zero FIR” was registered at Nimbhora Police Station in Jalgaon in December 2020, alleging a 2018 incident in Pune. The FIR was later transferred to Kothrud Police Station in Pune and registered as Cr. No. 03/2021. The case was reportedly a fabricated attempt to target political rivals and gain control over the Jalgaon Zilla Maratha Vidya Prasarak Sahakari Samaj Limited, an educational institution.

The CBI continues to probe the involvement of all parties in the conspiracy, as the case is expected to bring more revelations regarding the misuse of political and legal power in Maharashtra.