Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh’s shocking allegations against Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh in the Sachin Vaze case have sent shockwaves in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. Raging over the extortion charges leveled by Param Bir Singh, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Maharashtra is staging protests across the state against Deshmukh.
The protests broke out in Nagpur on Sunday morning, where BJP workers were seen collecting coins in bowls in an apparent jibe at the Maharashtra Home Minister, who allegedly instructed suspended Mumbai cop Sachin Vaze to collect 100 crores every month from places across the metropolitan city.
BJP workers also gathered outside the residence of Deshmukh in Mumbai, demanding his immediate resignation. However, they were detained by the police soon after the demonstration began. Top state BJP leaders like Devendra Fadnavis, Chitra Wagh, Girish Mahajan have condemned the alleged illicit activities of the NCP minister and accused the ruling coalition of corruption, demanding his resignation.
Param Bir accuses Anil Deshmukh of ‘extortion’
In an explosive development on Saturday, sacked Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh in a letter to the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray alleged that Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh had asked suspended Mumbai Police officer Sachin Vaze to collect Rs 100 crore each month, about half of which would be from 1750 pubs and bars and the remaining, from other sources.
Meanwhile, Anil Deshmukh has denied the allegations, stating that Param Bir Singh has raised false allegations to “save himself” from the Mansukh Hiren and Antilia Bomb scare case. Deshmukh on Thursday had claimed that Param Bir Singh was transferred so that investigation can be carried out without any obstruction and that the transfer wasn’t a routine matter. With Param Bir referencing this claim by Anil Deshmukh in his letter, the Maharashtra Home Minister has held a series of meetings, including a conversation with Sharad Pawar where he has sought Param Bir’s suspension. Deshmukh has also said he will file a defamation case against the former Mumbai CP and has called for a high-level probe into his allegations.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is investigating the Antilia bomb scare case, in which Mumbai Police officer Sachin Vaze has been arrested, and has also taken over the Mansukh Hiren alleged murder case. Key meetings are expected to be held on Sunday with Sharad Pawar summoning Maharashtra’s Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and senior party leader Jayant Patil to New Delhi, and Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut also enroute the capital to meet Pawar.
