I was lodged in Ajmal Kasab’s cell, says former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh

NAGPUR: Back home after a year, former state home minister Anil Deshmukh on Tuesday launched an indirect attack on BJP and its allies. He alleged he would not have gone to jail if he had compromised with his values two years ago and made false allegations against the then Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by Uddhav Thackeray at the behest of some persons.
The NCP leader said he was kept in Barrack No. 12, where Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab was lodged before he was hanged. The Katol MLA announced he would be holding a public rally, the first after coming out of prison, in his constituency on February 17 at 5 pm.
Deshmukh was arrested on charges of asking policemen to extort Rs 100 crore from restaurant and bar owners, and under money laundering charges on November 2, 2021 by the CBI and other investigating agencies. He is out on bail.
"After I resigned on April 5, 2021, some people approached me with an offer to level explosive allegations against senior leaders of the MVA government. This would have led to the fall of the government at that time. I categorically declined the offer. I told them clearly I will not level false allegations against anyone, even if I was put behind bars for the rest of my life. I have not made any compromises with anyone and therefore was jailed for 13 months. I reiterated the same thing in Wardha, during NCP chief Sharad Pawar's rally on Sunday," Deshmukh said.
Refuting charges levelled by state minister Girish Mahajan that he had aspired to join the BJP before the 2019 assembly polls but his offer was declined, Deshmukh said there was no question of joining any party. "I have been working with Pawar for over two decades and would continue my association with him in future."