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Two judges of the Bombay high court on Wednesday recused themselves from hearing a petition filed by former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh challenging a lower court 's order allowing the Central Bureau of Investigation to take him in custody in a corruption case.
Deshmukh's plea was listed for hearing before Justice Revati Mohite Dere. But when the matter was called out, Justice Dere said "not before me," indicating that she would not be hearing it.
The Nationalist Congress Party leader's lawyer, advocate Aniket Nikam, then approached Justice PD Naik, seeking an urgent hearing on the plea.
Justice Naik too recused himself, saying, "Not to be listed before me."
Both the judges did not give any reasons for recusing.
The chief Justice of the high court will now assign the case to some other judge.
Deshmukh's petition challenges the March 31 order passed by the special CBI court allowing the central agency to take into custody Deshmukh, his aides Sanjeev Palande and Kundan Shinde, and dismissed police officer Sachin Waze in connection with the investigation of corruption allegations levelled against Deshmukh by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh.
Deshmukh, Palande and Shinde were in judicial custody following their arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case.
Waze was in judicial custody after his arrest by the National Investigation Agency in the Antilia bomb scare and Mansukh Hiran killing cases.
The CBI on Monday arrested Waze, Shinde and Palande. The agency could not take Deshmukh in custody immediately, as he was admitted to hospital on April 2 following a shoulder dislocation.
Deshmukh was discharged from hospital on Tuesday, and on Wednesday the CBI took him in custody.
IPS officer Param Bir Singh had in March 2021 alleged that Deshmukh, then home minister, had given a target to select police officers in Mumbai to collect Rs 100 crore per month from restaurants and bars.
Deshmukh had denied the allegations.