Here are the main developments of the day …
“ Serious charges against Deshmukh ”
Respond to allegations of corruption against the state interior minister, leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Sharad pawar Sunday, the charges are serious in nature and require a full investigation.
The NCP chief said Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray would now decide Deshmukh’s fate.
Pawar’s comments came during a press briefing in Delhi amid speculation in state political circles that Maharashtra may soon have a new interior minister.
However, chief NCP leader Jayant Patil later said there was no question of Deshmukh’s resignation.
In an eight-page letter to Thackeray, the former top Mumbai cop claimed that Deshmukh wanted the police to collect Rs 100 crore every month from bars and hotels as bribes.
The NCP chief said he spoke with Thackeray about Singh’s letter.
“I would suggest that Thackeray seek the help of former IPS officer Julio Ribeiro in examining Param Bir Singh’s claims,” he said.
Hours later, Ribeiro declined to investigate the matter, saying he was unavailable.
“I am not available. Nobody (in the state government) has contacted me. And in any case, even if they contact me, I am not available,” Ribeiro told PTI, when asked about the suggestion from Pawar.
Meeting of senior NCP leaders in Delhi
Meanwhile, the NCP has called a meeting of its top leaders in the nation’s capital following Singh’s explosive letter to Thackeray.
Sharad Pawar, senior leaders Supriya Sule and Praful Patel, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, NCP Maharashtra chief and Water Resources Minister Jayant Patil are part of the meeting, along with others.
The NCP with the Shiv Sena is part of the Mahavikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra.
“ Breakthrough ” in the case of Hiran
Meanwhile, Maharashtra ATS has arrested a police officer and a bookie in connection with the alleged murder of businessman Mansukh Hiran.
He said that the Mumbai police officer Sachin Vaze had played a key role in the crime and was the main accused.
In a separate statement, state ATS DIG Shivdeep Lande said it has resolved Mansukh Hiran’s death case but did not reveal any details.
The accused duo, identified as policeman Vinayak Shinde and bookmaker Naresh Gaur, were arrested on Saturday evening.
Shinde is a convict in the 2006 Lakhan Bhaiya fake dating case and was released from prison on leave last year, an official said, adding that Shinde has been in contact with Vaze since then.
Vaze is currently being held by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) which is investigating the Ambani security fear case.
The vehicle was in Hiran’s possession before his body was found in a cove near Thane on March 5.
“Sachin Waze is one of the main defendants in the Hiran murder case. He had played a key role. During the investigation, ATS discovered that Gaur had provided five SIM cards to API Waze and Shinde. for the crime. Shinde used to aid Waze in his illegal activities, ”the official said.
Pawar tries to save the government of Maharashtra: Fadnavis
BJP leader and former chief minister of state Devendra Fadnavis said Pawar was trying to save the state government over the allegations against Deshmukh.
He reiterated his demand for Deshmukh’s resignation and a court-watched investigation into the allegations raised by Singh.
Meanwhile, BJP workers staged protests in Nagpur on Sunday to demand Deshmukh’s resignation over Singh’s letter.
BJP workers led by former energy minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule staged protests in Sanvidhan Square and launched slogans against the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
Fadnavis claimed that allegations were also raised earlier against the state’s Home Office by a senior police officer.
“Param Bir Singh is not the first person to raise such allegations. Previously, a report was submitted by Maharashtra DGP Subodh Jaiswal about a racketeering involving touts in transferring police officers in exchange for money. , but the state government took no action on this report. Jaiswal had submitted the report containing the full transcript to the Chief Minister and Home Secretary through the then Intelligence Commissioner, ”he said. he said.
No comments: Congress
Meanwhile, Congress, which is the tripartite alliance’s junior partner, declined to comment on the matter, saying Pawar has already made his statement.
Avoiding direct comment on the matter, Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said the matter concerned Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and the NCP, the minister in question being from that party.
However, the party accused the BJP of trying to destabilize the government of Maharashtra and said Singh could be under pressure from central agencies.
Addressing a press conference, Maharashtra Congress spokesman Sachin Sawant said this was not the first time in India that a serving officer had raised allegations against those in power.
How the case unfolded …
(With inputs from PTI, ANI)