CBI official threatened to kill me: Thakur

Paresh Thakur (32), son of Amravati divisional commissioner Ganesh Thakur, has alleged that deputy inspector general (DIG) of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Mumbai, Pravin Salunke threatened to kill him after he was arrested by the CBI on Wednesday. Thakur's lawyer Deepak Shamdire on Thursday submitted to the court that Salunke was present when Thakur was taken to the CBI office after arresting him and threatened him.

Thakur told the court he was threatened by Salunke and that he was in no way involved in the case or the investigations of the CBI-ACB, Pune.

Police inspector (CBI-ACB) accepted that Salunke was present in the office of joint director of CBI-ACB, Pune when Thakur was taken there.

The court is likely to pass an order on Thakur's complaint on Friday.

Paresh Thakur, a resident of Kothrud, was arrested for allegedly posing as director of Maharashtra State Krishi Vikas Shilpa Kendra and duping several persons by taking money by promising to appoint them as directors of the Kendra in various districts in the state. A complaint was lodged by Dr Prasad Prabhakar Sonawane from Nashik in this regard.

Sonawane later came to know the Kendra was banned by the Government of India for cheating people by masquerading as a government organisation, using the letterheads with the National Emblem and getting money from people on the false offer of government employment. The CBI-ACB remand application stated that in 2009, Thakur had approached Sonawane through another person, Guruji Sarveshwar, regarding vacancies for district directors and divisional directors of the Kendra. Sonawane alleged he was offered a district director post for Rs 20 lakh as processing fee.

"Thakur introduced himself as director of the Kendra to the complainant...he instructed the complainant to pay Rs 3 lakh through Sarveshwar," stated the remand application.

... contd.

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