Mumbai: Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh rejects allegations that he had discussed a ₹ 100-crore extortion racket with a controversial police officer at his home last month.
The opposition allies call for Anil Deshmukh’s dismissal after sacked Mumbai Police Chief Param Bir Singh, in a letter to CM, alleged that the minister had appointed many policemen into the job of collecting ₹ 100 crores a month and these included Sachin Waze, the officer arrested in the Mukesh Ambani bomb scare case. The letter accused Mr. Deshmukh of meeting with Sachin Waze at his home around mid-February.
NCP leader Sharad Pawar, in the purview of the situation, disclosed that Mr. Deshmukh was hospitalized from February 5-15 following which he was quarantined in Nagpur from 15 to 27.
Mr. Deshmukh’s video message launched on March 22 addressed details of his activities during the alleged dates. “You all know that for the last year during the pandemic I travelled the entire state and kept meeting policemen and tried to boost their morale. On February 5, I tested positive for corona. I was in the hospital from February 5 to 15.”
“After my discharge on February 15, doctors advised 10-day home quarantine for me. So, I took a private flight to Mumbai. And after that, on the doctor’s advice, I used to go to the park for pranayama every night,” Mr. Deshmukh said in Marathi. It is reported he attended all parliamentary meetings virtually until 28 February.
BJPs Amit Malviya’s Twitter featured- “Sharad Pawar claims Anil Deshmukh was in the hospital from 5-15 Feb and in quarantine from 16-27 Feb. But Anil Deshmukh was holding a press conference on 15 Feb…How lies fall flat!”
Sachin Waze, the most explosive allegation in the former top cop’s letter, is being investigated over his role in the case involving an SUV with explosives found near the Mumbai home of India’s richest man, on February 25. The NIA has taken over the probe from the Mumbai Police.