Maharashtra: Was asked to sign affidavits against Thackerays, Sharad Pawar to avoid trouble, says Anil Deshmukh

Anil Deshmukh. File Pic

Former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh on Wednesday alleged that he was asked to sign affidavits against Thackerays, Sharad Pawar to avoid trouble, reported the PTI.

Deshmukh alleged that an 'intermediary' of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis had asked him to provide affidavits against important figures in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government to avoid getting embroiled in litigation himself, an allegation Devendra Fadnavis denied.

Anil Deshmukh, an NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader, stepped down as home minister in April 2021 after then Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh accused him of asking police to collect money from hotel and bar owners in the city.

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Singh had then written a letter addressed to the then Maharashtra CM and other high-ranking officials and accused Deshmukh of running an extortion racket wherein he had asked police officers to collect Rs 100 crore from bar and restaurant owners every month.

According to the PTI, while speaking to news channels, the NCP (SP) leader said that a person allegedly sent by Devendra Fadnavis (who was then in opposition) met him, carrying with him affidavits implicating then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, his son and cabinet minister Aaditya Thackeray, then finance Minister Ajit Pawar and then transport minister Anil Parab.

Anil Deshmukh should sign the affidavits to avoid potential litigation against himself, the man told him, but he refused to oblige, the former Maharashtra minister claimed, as per the PTI.

Meanwhile, while reacting to the allegation, Maharashtra deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the home department portfolio, said that the allegations were baseless.

"Anil Deshmukh should know that his own party leaders have provided me with multiple pieces of audio-visual evidence of his comments about then CM Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, or the controversial police officer Sachin Waze. If false accusations are levelled against me, I will have no choice but to make this evidence public," Devendra Fadnavis said elsewhere while reacting to the allegations made by Anil Deshmukh, the news agency reported on Wednesday.

Anil Deshmukh was not discharged in the case where he was accused of asking police officials to collect Rs 100 crore, but he was only out on bail, the senior Maharashtra BJP leader further said.

(with PTI inputs)