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Former Mumbai police chief has accused state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh of corruption.
Highlights
- The alliance partners are scheduled to meet this afternoon in New Delhi
- Both Sena and NCP have agreed that allegations will be probed
- NCP leader Sharad Pawar has ruled out Anil Deshmukh’s resignation
New Delhi/Mumbai:
Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh was ailing and in hospital at the time he had allegedly met police officer Sachin Vaze and discussed an extortion racket, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sahrad Pawar said today, ruling out the possibility off his resignation. Addressing the media amid a political storm over former Mumbai police chief Param Bir Singh’s corruption allegations against the home minister, Mr Pawar said, “Anil Deshmukh was in hospital during that period. So it such situation question does not arise about the resignation”. The Shiv Sena this morning questioned the need for Mr Deshmukh’s resignation if the key parties are open to the idea of probing the issue, moving from its initial conclusion that the minister should go. Mr Pawar said there was no pressure from the Sena regarding the resignation of Mr Deshmukh, who is from the NCP.
Here are the top 10 updates on the turn of events in Maharashtra:
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Anil Deshmukh was in hospital from February 5 to 15 and from February 15 to 27, he was in home isolation in Nagpur, said Sharad Pawar, who has called for an investigation into the allegations of Param Bir Singh.”We will share all these records with the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. The question of resignation does not arise now,” he added.
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Mr Pawar yesterday suggested that former police officer Julio Ribeiro probe the allegations against the Home Minster, but the retired cop refused.
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Mr Thackeray himself has called a meeting of the state law and justice ministry officials at 4.30 pm today. This gains prominence in the wake of his decision to keep a closer eye on the Home Ministry. Former Mumbai police chief Param Bir Singh had alleged, in a letter to the Chief Minister, that Mr Deshmukh had interfered with the Ambani bomb scare probe and led an extortion racket with suspended policeman Sachin Vaze – a Shiv Sena member. Mr Singh said he had asked the police to collect Rs 100 crore every month and instructed officials on the handling of cases, bypassing him and other officers.
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Mr Singh was replaced as police chief last week owing to the alleged mismanagement of the Ambani bomb scare case. His letter to the Chief Minister followed his removal as Mumbai Police Commissioner. Mr Deshmukh has now threatened to sue him for defamation.
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Mr Vaze, with a controversial history, was the initial probing officer in the Ambani case, but was later found by the NIA to be a part of the conspiracy itself. He had joined the Shiv Sena during an earlier period of suspension in the 2000s.
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According to the NIA, he was closely associated with the Thane businessman Mansukh Hiran, to whom the SUV found on Mumbai’s Carmichael Road was traced back. The auto parts dealer had reported the vehicle as stolen a week before it was found near Mr Ambani’s residence.
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Mr Hiran was then found dead under mysterious circumstances in a Thane creek on March 5. The Maharashtra ATS arrested a former cop, now on furlough, and a bookie in this connection. The businessman’s wife had alleged Mr Vaze’s involvement in the death.
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Notably, Mr Hiran’s wife had also alleged that the suspended cop had used the same SUV for around four months till returning it on February 5.
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Referring to Mr Vaze, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had earlier this month asked, “Is he Osama bin Laden?” The NCP chief had reportedly questioned the Sena’s involvement with a person as dodgy as Mr Vaze. A party leader had also termed the allegations against Mr Deshmukh “serious”. However, Mr Pawar also raised the issue of the timing of the allegations.
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The Shiv Sena had earlier questioned the need for the NIA to probe the Ambani bomb scare case, which, it said, the Maharashtra ATS could have handled. The NIA has now taken over the case of Mr Hiran’s death, too.
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