NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Monday made his stand clear over the ongoing controversy followed by ex-Mumbai police chief Param Bir Singh's allegations of corruption against state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh. Pawar said that during the period about which the allegations were made, Anil Deshmukh was hospitalised thus demands of his resignation hold no power.
Speaking to reporters, Pawar said that Param Bir Singh had met him in the second week of March. "If he had information about corruption of home minister, why he was sitting quietly," the NCP chief asked.
Pawar also reiterated that there is no threat to the MVA government. When asked about the probe, Pawar said that has an authority to order probe against Deshmukh, Pawar stated that he doesn't want to dilute the case and CM Uddhav Thackeary has an authority to order probe against Deshmukh and other officers.
A major political storm erupted in Maharashtra after Singh wrote a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray last week claiming that Deshmukh had asked police officers to collect Rs 100 crore monthly, including Rs 50-60 crore from bars and hotels in Mumbai.
Singh was recently shunted out as Mumbai police commissioner in the midst of a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the recovery of an explosives-laden SUV from outside the south Mumbai residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani last month.
Deshmukh had said that Singh was transferred in view of "serious and unforgivable mistakes" committed by some colleagues of the top cop. The home minister had also denied the allegations of corruption raised against him.
