Maharashtra BJP delegation to meet Guv on Mar 24 over prevailing law & order situation in state

Mumbai, Mar 22: Maharashtra BJP delegation will meet Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari on 24th March over the present situation in Maharashtra.

The BJP on Sunday stepped up its attack on Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray over the serious corruption allegations levelled by Mumbai's former commissioner Param Bir Singh against the state's Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, with Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad demanding his resignation and Opposition Leader in the State Assembly Devendra Fadnavis accusing him of covering up an alleged "transfers racket".

Speaking to reporters, Fadnavis 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 Deshmukh.

Fadnavis contested Pawar's assertion that neither chief minister Uddhav Thackeray nor Deshmukh was responsible for reinstating controversial police officer Sachin Waze in the Mumbai police force last year.

"Waze was given important cases and also got key posts in the police department. Is it possible without the knowledge of the chief minister and the home minister?" Fadnavis questioned.

The Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly also questioned Pawar's statement that the latter would suggest the CM to seek retired IPS officer Julio Ribeiro''s help for looking into the claims made by Singh.

Days after he was shunted as Param Bir Singh wrote a letter to the chief minister claiming Anil Deshmukh, a senior NCP leader, had asked Sachin Waze and other police officers to collect ₹ 100 crore monthly from bars and hotels in Mumbai.

Deshmukh had dismissed allegations raised by Singh as baseless and termed them as a bid by the IPS officer to save himself from inquiry.

Singh was shunted out as Mumbai police commissioner in the midst of investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into recovery of an explosives-laden vehicle which was found parked outside the south Mumbai residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani last month.

The NIA had arrested assistant inspector of Mumbai Police, Sachin Waze, in the case. He is currently in the custody of the NIA for his alleged role in placing an explosives-laden SUV outside the south Mumbai residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani last month.