Mumbai: Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh stepped down from his post on Monday. NCP sources have said that Deshmukh has submitted his resignation to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. This comes soon after the Bombay High Court directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct a preliminary investigation into the corruption allegations of former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh against Deshmukh. “CBI inquiry shall be completed in 15 days, then CBI Director can decide the further course of action in accordance with law’, ordered a division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Girish Kulkarni. The bench said that this was an “extraordinary” and “unprecedented” case that warranted an independent inquiry.

Speaking to reporters, NCP leader Nawab Malik said that  Deshmukh has met the Chief Minister to tender his resignation. The CM is yet to accept it.

“After the high court order, Home Minister Anil Deshmukh met Pawar Ji and party leaders and said he doesn’t want to remain in the post. He went to tender his resignation to the CM. Party has requested to the CM to accept his resignation”, he added.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis questioned the silence of Maharashtra CM over the issue of corruption allegations against Deshmukh. Speaking to reporters, he said that Deshmukh’s resignation was expected and he had no other option.

“He should have remembered his morals on the very first day when the allegations were levelled”, the BJP leader said, asking why is the chief minister mum? His silence is unsettling.

Furthermore, Fadnavis said that he was satisfied that the court had taken cognisance of the allegations he made with proof. He said the MVA government doesn’t have the mandate of the people.