Anil Deshmukh & Sharad Pawar discuss Param Bir's letter; Maha HM wants ex-CP suspended

In the latest development in the Vazegate scandal, sources have informed that Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has spoken to NCP supremo Sharad Pawar wherein they discussed the explosive letter written by former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh making grievous allegations against him. This comes a day after Param Bir Singh wrote a letter addressed to CM Uddhav Thackeray and others accusing Anil Deshmukh of indulging in 'misdeeds' and 'malpractices' and narrating an explosive account even alleging 'extortion' and insinuating political meddling in his affairs and activities.

On Saturday evening, hours after Param Bir Singh's letter had come into the open, a statement from the Maharashtra CMO had stated that it hadn't been from the former Mumbai CP's official account and purportedly didn't bear his signature. However, since then Param Bir Singh has confirmed that it was indeed his letter. Ensuingly, as per sources, Anil Deshmukh has also recommended Param Bir Singh's suspension (from his new role at the helm of the Home Guards) to Sharad Pawar as he briefed the NCP chief on the letter. Meanwhile, sources have also informed that NCP supremo Pawar has also called on DyCM Ajit Pawar and party leader Jayant Patil to travel to Delhi and discuss Param Bir Singh's letter. 

Shiv Sena's Raut calls allegations 'unfortunate' 

Meanwhile, also on Sunday morning, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut labelled the allegations against the Maharashtra Home Minister as 'unfortunate'. The Shiv Sena MP claimed that former Mumbai Police CP Param Bir Singh's letter will be investigated first and said that CM Uddhav will look into the matter. In a second back-to-back statement, Raut added that he would travel to Delhi as well to speak to Sharad Pawar later in the day, upholding Pawar's capability to take decisions in the matter. Raut also made to distance the Shiv Sena and himself, stating that the allegations are shocking for 'those like us' who aren't a part of the government but have played a role in it since formation. He Congress' Sanjay Nirupam called for his party to take a stand on this issue and said that the question should be directed towards the 'architect of the MVA government Sharad Pawar'. 

Anil Deshmukh to file defamation case against Param Bir

Maharashtra HM Anil Deshmukh on Saturday refuted all 'extortion allegations' made by ex-Mumbai CP Param Bir Singh in his letter to Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray. Deshmukh tweeted that 'involvement of Param Bir Singh and Sachin Vaze in the Mansukh Hiren case seems likely', and hence he was making such allegations to save himself. Further, HM Deshmukh informed that he would file a defamation case against the former Mumbai Police Commissioner for levelling false allegations against him. Param Bir Singh has been transferred to Maharashtra (Home Guards) after ex-Mumbai API Sachin Vaze's arrest in the Antilia bomb scare case.

Param Bir Singh's letter

In his 8-page letter to CM Uddhav Thackeray, Param Bir Singh has refuted Deshmukh's statements that his transfer was due to 'serious lapses in the investigation', the 'serious lapses are not pardonable', and that his transfer was 'not on administrative grounds'. Furthermore, Singh alleges that Vaze had been summoned by Deshmukh to his residence several times in the past few months 'setting a target of accumulating Rs 100 crores a month' from 1,750 bars, restaurants and other establishments in Mumbai - collecting Rs 2-3 lakhs from each. He added that the Home Minister had said that a monthly collection of Rs 40-50 crores were achievable from such establishments and the rest could be 'collected from other sources'. Accepting his police force's full responsibility, Singh in the letter claimed that there was no evidence against him and invited to check the call records of Sachin Vaze if need be. 

Maharashtra Home Min: 'Param Bir transferred due to lapses'

On Thursday,  Deshmukh had said that Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh was transferred due to the lapses he and his office had done, including the Antilia bomb probe. Stating that the ex-Mumbai CP's office had damaged the reputation of Maharashtra police, which used to be compared to Scotland Yard, Deshmukh said 'some mistakes cannot be forgiven', in an interview with Marathi daily Lokmat. In Sena's mouthpiece Saamana, Shiv Sena has defended both Param Bir Singh and Sachin Vaze, claiming that they were not guilty yet, as the probe into the Antilia bomb scare continues.