Maharashtra home minister targets ex-Bihar DGP Gupteshwar Pandey

MUMBAI: Former Bihar police chief Gupteshwar Pandey would speak like some BJP leader in connection with actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death case and that suspicion has proved to be true, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has said.

Pandey has been in line of fire of non-BJP parties in Maharashtra after he sought a CBI probe in Rajput's death and then opted for voluntary retirement amid speculation of his electoral foray in Bihar where assembly polls will be held in October-November.

The Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress, partners in the MVA government in Maharashtra, have been critical of the former IPS officer over his recent comments and perceived closeness to the BJP.

Speaking to reporters in Gondia on Thursday, Deshmukh also accused the BJP of conspiring to defame Maharashtra and its police with an eye on the Bihar elections.

You saw over the past one-and-half or two months that Pandey, despite being a senior police official, would speak as if he was a senior BJP leader.

And it has turned out to be true, Deshmukh said.

He has resigned. The only thing I want to say is that it was the BJPs conspiracy to defame Maharashtra and its police eying the Bihar polls, the NCP leader added.

Pandey stepped down late Tuesday night and a day later, dropped hints about joining politics, asserting he is a "free man" now and that contesting elections is not illegal.