SHEENA BORA CASE: Minister of State for Home Ram Shankar Shinde says mechanism worked out to avoid confusion between roles of former and current top cops
Mumbai : Will he or won’t he? Whether Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria will come back and lead the team investigating Sheena Bora murder case is a question everyone wants the answer to. Minister of State for Home Ram Shankar Shinde cleared the air on Thursday evening.
“Mr Maria will have to lead the probe of Sheena Bora murder like he was doing till two days ago and there is no other option. Whether he agrees or not, he will have to do it,” Shinde said in an exclusive interaction with Free Press Journal.
Saying that the Maharashtra government has dispatched an official order asking former Rakesh Maria to continue handling the probe, Shinde said: “The state home department will ensure there is no confusion over allotment of officers for this specific case and no issues between new city Commissioner of Police, Ahmad Javed and Maria. We know how to handle it and we will do it. Priority at this hour is to ensure proper co-ordination between two top-graded senior officers helping to unravel the mystery so that the guilty are punished.”
Even as the Opposition Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has asked for a probe by Enforcement Directorate into the alleged illegitimate financial transactions carried out by two of the accused in the case and alleged ‘political excess’ by the ruling BJP in shunting out Maria, the MoS (Home) denied such charges.
“There is no political reason behind Mr Maria’s transfer. His promotion was due and he is a good officer who always has done his job properly. How can we deny or delay his promotion?” Shinde asked. He also claimed all the required procedures were followed before awarding promotion to Maria and his removal as the city police commissioner.
When asked about the rest of the team too is being shunted out from Sheena Bora murder case, Shinde denied any such development saying: “Mr Maria will get the officers he needs to expedite the probe.”
The home minister mentioned that a legal process had already been initiated to ensure the former top cop of Mumbai has the jurisdiction to handle this case while being in charge of the Civil Defence team. “We are working towards a proper legal authorisation for him so that there is no issue on why DGP (Homeguards) is probing a case under the jurisdiction of the city police chief. The process has been initiated by the state home department and before Ganesh Chaturthi it will be over so that Mr Maria gets all the tooth and nail he needs for the investigation to be done properly,” Shinde said, during the telephonic conversation from Pune where he was camping to attend certain programmes of the state government.
Meanwhile, reacting on the allegations levelled by NCP, BJP spokesperson Shaina NC said: “If BJP government had any issues against Maria, then how would he continue as the top cop even during the rule of BJP-Sena government? The NCP’s allegations are absolutely nonsense.”
Talking to Free Press Journal, Shaina added: “The Fadnavis government has given its dues to Maria — he was given a free-hand by the Department of Home and the chief minister. Now as his time is up, he has to leave.”
NCP alleged that due to Maria’s proximity to the previous government, he had to go unceremoniously. Maria was not available to comment on the issue in spite of several attempts made by this newspaper to reach him.
Joydeep R Ray
