MUMBAI: Former IPS officer, nonagenarian Julio Ribeiro, has rejected NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s proposal to conduct a probe against home minister Anil Deshmukh, who is facing charges of corruption and extortion.
“I was surprised and shocked when Pawar proposed my name for conducting an inquiry against Deshmukh. I have become very old to conduct probes against controversial politicians. Pawar himself is the best for the job, why is he involving me in such murky cases,” Ribeiro told TOI.
A day after former Mumbai CP Param Bir Singh’s letter bomb against Anil Deshmukh, Pawar had told media persons in Delhi that he would recommend Ribeiro’s name to conduct an impartial inquiry against Deshmukh. Clearly, Ribeiro’s name was proposed without seeking his consent. “I have crossed 92 and the NCP expects me to conduct a probe, not acceptable,” he said. An agitated Ribeiro said he had been fielding calls from media houses the entire day.
“Pawar should have appointed a sitting or retired Bombay HC judge. But, before that he must sack the home minister,” a senior IPS officer said.