Allegations against Anil Deshmukh: Pawar trying to save Maha govt, says Fadnavis

Senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said NCP chief Sharad Pawar was trying to save the Maha Vikas Aghadi MVA government in view of allegations of corruption levelled by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh against state Home Minister Anil DeshmukhSpeaking to reporters here Fadnavis contested Pawars assertion that neither chief minister Uddhav Thackeray nor Deshmukh was responsible for reinstating controversial police officer Sachin Waze in the Mumbai police force last yearDays after he was shunted as Mumbai police commissioner Singh wrote a letter to the CM claiming Deshmukh a senior NCP leader had asked Waze and other police officers to collect Rs 100 crore monthly from bars and hotels in MumbaiHow could important postings and cases were given to Waze without the knowledge of the chief minister and the home minister Fadnavis askedThe Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly also questioned Pawars statement that the latter would suggest the CM to seek retired IPS officer Julio Ribeiros help for looking into the claims made by SinghWaze is in the custody of the National Investigation Agency NIA for his alleged role in placing an explosives laden SUV outside the south Mumbai residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani last monthThe NIA is also probing the alleged murder of Thane based businessman Mansukh Hiran who was in possession of that SUVAs the architect of the MVA government comprising the Shiv Sena NCP and Congress Pawar is trying to save the government Pawars press conference today is an attempt to save the government The presser is just a window dressing Actually it is an attempt to move away from truth Fadnavis allegedHe reiterated his demand for resignation of Deshmukh and a courtmonitored probe into the allegations raised by SinghWaze a former encounter specialist who was suspended after the alleged custodial death of bomb blast suspect Khwaja Yunis in 2003 was reinstated by a committee headed by Param Bir Singh But how is it possible that Waze was given important cases and postings without the knowledge of the CM and the home ministerPawar should say that Waze was reinstated on the instructions of the CM and the home minister and with their blessings he was given key cases and postings the former chief minister claimedFadnavis also said how could Ribeiro who retired 15 years ago can conduct an inquiry of Param Bir Singh and the home minister Will he have that authority and can he conduct a fair probeMeanwhile BJP workers on Sunday staged demonstrations in Nagpur demanding resignation of Deshmukh over Singhs letterBJP workers led by former state energy minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule staged protests at Sanvidhan square and raised slogans against the Maha Vikas Aghadi governmentA demonstration was also organised by workers of the BJP Yuva Morcha outside the residence of Deshmukh hereMeanwhile Fadnavis claimed that allegations were raised earlier against state Home department by a top police officerParam Bir Singh is not the first person to raise such allegations Earlier a report was submitted by then Maharashtra DGP Subodh Jaiswal about a racket involving touts in transferring police officials in exchange of money but the state government didnt take any action on that report Jaiswal had submitted the report containing full transcript to the chief minister and the home minister via the then commissioner of Intelligence he saidSubsequently Jaiswal opted out of an important posting as the DGP and went on a Central deputation because the state government did not initiate any inquiry on the report submitted by him Fadnavis said adding that rather action was taken against the then state Commissioner of Intelligence Rashmi ShuklaThe current situation wouldnt have arose had the state government acted on the report of Jaiswal and Shukla he saidFadnavis also demanded that officials and other persons who had used vehicles that were found possession of Waze be investigatedThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever