Maharashtra Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Chandrakant Patil, in a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, has urged him to order a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) enquiry against Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and state Transport Minister Anil Parab in connection with the corruption charges made by dismissed police officer Sachin Vaze.
In a tweet, Patil said, “Disclosures made by Mumbai Police ASI Sachin Vaze regarding the involvement of Ajit Pawar, Anil Parab and associates in large-scale corruption are shocking and shameful. Through a letter, I have urged Shah to order a CBI enquiry against both ministers.”
Patil’s letter comes days after the state BJP executive meeting recently chaired by him passed a resolution and demanded a probe against Pawar and Parab. This is yet another attempt by the BJP to target the ruling Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), thereby, keeping up its tirade against the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
NCP chief spokesman and Minister of Minority Affairs Nawab Malik slammed the BJP, saying it has launched a new way of politics, wherein the party alleges, orders inquiries and gives judgement. “Bengal voters have given a major slap to BJP’s new way of politics and the people of Maharashtra are watching it with open eyes. They will definitely teach a lesson to the BJP,” he claimed.
State Congress chief spokesman Sachin Sawant reminded Patil that, in many states, including Maharashtra, the CBI probe has been banned. “In state issues, the state government or high court directs a CBI probe. Thank the BJP for showing under whose guidance and orders the CBI conducts investigations these days,” he said.
What the letter said...
In his letter, Patil said Vaze has made specific allegations that Pawar, through one Darshan Ghodawat, asked him (Vaze) to collect Rs 100 crore from illegal gutkha sellers and manufacturers.
Further, Vaze also claimed that Parab asked him to collect Rs 2 crore each from 50 BMC contractors. Patil said Parab had also asked to initiate an inquiry against Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust and to collect Rs 50 crore by harassing its directors. Parab has strongly denied these allegations.
“Sir, the present memorandum is not initiated or coming out of political agenda, but if the disclosure of Vaze is not dealt with according to the law, the law-abiding citizens of the state will seriously lose faith in the legal system by itself,” said Patil in the letter.
