Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has full authority to take a decision regarding an inquiry into the corruption allegations against Home Minister Anil Deshmukh by former Mumbai police chief Param Bir Singh, ally Nationalist Congress Party supremo Sharad Pawar has said.
Pawar also said that the allegations leveled by Singh against Deshmukh are serious and require an in-depth probe. The NCP chief, however, questioned the timing of the allegations by Singh, who was replaced over lapses in the Mukesh Ambani security scare case days before.
"Param Bir Singh is making wild allegations because he was removed as Mumbai Police Commissioner," the NCP leader added.
The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance leaders will meet in the national capital today and are expected to take a decision on Anil Deshmukh, who belongs to the NCP.
The MVA is made up of three parties - Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress.
Here are the latest developments in this big story:
1) While speaking to reporters in Delhi, Pawar said he would suggest Thackeray to appoint former IPS officer Julio Ribeiro for an independent investigation into these allegations.
2) However, Ribeiro has rejected Pawar's suggestion that he should probe ex-Mumbai police chief Param Bir Singh's claims that Deshmukh asked suspended police officer Sachin Waze to collect ₹100 crore every month.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Ribeiro said, "I will not investigate this matter, nobody has asked me, he (Sharad Pawar) has just given a suggestion and I am not in any position because I am 92 years of age and I don't have that much energy and even though I could, I would not have investigated this matter, because it is a very low-level politics been played."
3) NCP state chief Jayant Patil has said that Deshmukh will not step down from his post following the corruption allegations levelled against him by Param Bir Singh.
The NCP leader's remarks came after a high-level meet of party leaders at Sharad Pawar's residence in Delhi. Besides Patil, Praful Patel, Ajit Pawar and Supriya Sule were also present in the meeting.
"There is no question of Anil Deshmukh's resignation. Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) is investigating (Antilia Case and Mansukh Hiren Case) and we believe the culprit will be punished," Patil said after the meeting.
4) Pawar also said efforts are on to destabilise the MVA government in Maharashtra but they will prove futile. "There will be no impact on the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government because of Singh's allegations and it will complete five years, he said.
5) In a letter to CM Thackeray, the former Mumbai police chief had said Deshmukh had asked several officers including Sachin Waze who has been arrested in the Mukesh Ambani security scare case – to run an extortion racket. They were set a target of ₹100 crore every month.
Singh also said that the Home Minister, on several occasions, had instructed police officers on how to handle cases and file charges, bypassing him and other senior officers. However, Deshmukh has denied these allegations and termed it "baseless". He also said that he will sue Singh for defamation.
Click here to read the Mint ePaperMint is now on Telegram. Join Mint channel in your Telegram and stay updated with the latest business news.