In a sensational twist on the scandal that has exploded since jelly sticks were recovered from a Scorpio parked outside a factory. Mukesh Ambaniresidence on February 25, the newly transferred Mumbai Police Commissioner Parambir Singh alleged in a letter to CM Uddhav Thackeray that the state interior minister, Anil Deshmukh, had set assistant police inspector Sachin Waze “a target of accumulating 100 million rupees a month.”
Singh claimed that to achieve the monthly “target” of 100 million rupees, Deshmukh told Waze, who headed the criminal intelligence unit, in mid-February that “there are about 1,750 bars, restaurants and other establishments in Mumbai and if a sum of 2-3 lakh rupees each was collected, a monthly collection of Rs 40-50 crore could be achieved. ”The rest of the” collection “, Singh quoted Deshmukh as saying to Waze,” could be made from other sources. “To support his accusation, Singh attached several WhatsApp messages, allegedly between himself and a deputy police commissioner (Sanjay patil), dated March 16 and 19.
The letter alleging extortion, which was also sent to Governor BS Koshyari, plunged the Uddhav Thackeray government into a new crisis and could complicate things within the ruling alliance, as Singh said, in a nightly briefing on the Antilia case in the official residence of CM Varsha in mid-March, he “pointed out various misdeeds and malpractices being committed by the Honorable Minister of the Interior” and had “similarly informed” the head of the PNC Sharad Pawar, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and other senior ministers. Singh said he “noticed that some of the ministers were already aware of some aspects.”
Singh also alleged that Deshmukh had forced him to file an incitement to suicide case after Dadra and Nagar Haveli, MP Mohan Delkar committed suicide in a Mumbai hotel despite “expert legal advice” that the Mumbai police had no jurisdiction to do so.
While the CMO said they are examining the unsigned letter that did not come from Singh’s private email account, Deshmukh dismissed Singh’s charges, saying he was making “false accusations to save himself and protect himself from legal action.” He added that he would file “a defamation case” against Singh.
Allies Shiv Sena and NCP blame each other for mishandling the car explosives case, which has grown murkier by the day with the discovery of the body of Thane’s businessman, Mansukh Hiran, in a stream, first recorded as an accidental death. , then as murder, and suspension. Waze on March 15 after the opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis of BJP made a series of revelations in the montage.
Singh was fired by the CM on Wednesday, apparently at the insistence of the NCP, but Sharad Pawar’s party has postponed Deshmukh’s demands for his resignation until now.
Singh said Deshmukh’s instruction to Waze to collect money was made at his official Dyaneshwar residence in the presence of his private secretary Sanjay Palande. “After the meeting, Waze came to my office the same day and reported the entire incident to me. I was surprised, ”Singh said.
A few days later, Singh said: ACP Patil, in charge of the social services branch, was also called by Deshmukh together with DCP Bhujbal to talk about the hookah salons in the city. This meeting was also attended by Palande, who informed Patil and another police office, DCP Bhujbal, that the Interior Minister was “targeting a collection of Rs 40-50 crore, which was possible through 1,750 bars and restaurants that they operate in Mumbai ”. “Patil informed me about the demand made by HM. The aforementioned meeting took place on March 4, ”Singh said.
In his letter, Singh attached the WhatsApp conversation he had with ACP Patil. “Deshmukh has been repeatedly calling my officers and giving them instructions regarding the course they should take in the performance of their official duties. HM has been calling my officers at their official residence bypassing me and other senior officers. Deshmukh had been explaining the collection plans to the officers…. Officers have informed me of these corrupt malpractices, ”Singh alleged.
On Delkar’s suicide case, Singh said that according to the rules and conventions, the case should have been entrusted to the Nagara Haveli police for further investigation, but Deshmukh insisted that an incitement to the suicide case be recorded in Mumbai and announced the creation of a special investigation team. . “HM wanted to see a case of complicity to commit suicide in Mumbai, while the legal opinion was that all the alleged acts had taken place in Nagara Haveli, so it should be investigated by the UT police,” Singh said. .
Singh stated that in his term of more than a year as Mumbai PC, “HM had repeatedly called Mumbai police officers at his official residence to instruct them to take a specific course of action in the police investigation. These acts of political interference are illegal and unconstitutional and the judicial authorities have strongly influenced such practices ”.
Deshmukh had said Thursday that Singh was changed as DG, local guards, due to serious flaws in the investigation of the explosives case. Singh said he had been “made a scapegoat to divert attention from the real wrongdoers … HM’s remarks against me are all counter-record statements and appear to be very strange and vindictive.”
.
