The police custody of Milind Deshmukh, secretary of the Servants of India Society (SIS), has been extended until April 11. Deshmukh was presented in the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class (Small Causes), A.A. Pande, on Wednesday after the initial period of his police custody ended. However, the Deccan police requested an additional five days of custody to investigate various angles related to the case. After considering both sides, the court granted the extension until April 11.
Investigation Details Presented in Court
While arguing for the extension, Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP) Amar Nanaware informed the court: “It is necessary to conduct a joint investigation with the accused and the relevant individuals regarding how funds were diverted from the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics to the SIS in violation of University Grants Commission (UGC) rules.” He emphasized the need to investigate the involvement of the former vice-chancellor, registrar, and accounts officer of the Gokhale Institute.
According to Nanaware, an amount of ₹40 lakh was allegedly transferred to individuals like Dipak Totwali and Priya Thadani under the guise of ‘signing charges’ for land purchases in Nagpur. He stated that the precise purpose of these funds must be thoroughly examined with the accused. The investigation revealed that substantial amounts were also transferred under the category of ‘campus maintenance expenses’ in SIS’s ledger statements related to the Gokhale Institute, with the complainant raising concerns about this in a supplementary statement.
Allegations of Misappropriation
Nanaware further asserted: “The documents obtained during the investigation indicate that multiple transfers occurred from the Gokhale Institute’s bank account to the SIS account. Since this suggests significant misappropriation, a joint investigation with the relevant officials from the Gokhale Institute during the pertinent period is essential.”
The accused had previously manipulated land ownership in Mouje Shevlanwadi, Taluka Haveli, District Pune, which belonged to the late Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade Charity Trust, for financial gain. It was reported that forged documents were submitted to the Haveli Tehsildar’s office to make fraudulent changes to the land records. A case has been registered against the accused at the Deccan police station. Given the alleged misuse of his position to commit such offenses, the police argue that further interrogation in custody is necessary.
