NCP's Sharad Pawar calls Maha DyCM to Delhi mid-crisis; Raut says Param Bir 'good officer'

Amid the explosive Vazegate scandal that has jolted Mumbai Police, sources have informed Republic Media Network that NCP chief Sharad Pawar has called Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Jayant Patil to Delhi for discussion over an explosive letter written by ex-Mumbai CP Param Bir Singh alleging, among other things, large scale extortion ordered by the state's Home Minister Anil Deshmukh who is an NCP leader. This latest development comes after Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had spoken to Sharad Pawar on Saturday and with high-politics already playing out on Sunday. 

Sanjay Raut to meet Sharad Pawar

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut will also be visiting Delhi to meet Sharad Pawar on Sunday afternoon. Speaking about the letter written by Param Bir Singh to CM Uddhav Thackeray, Raut said that such allegations on a minister (Anil Deshmukh) are very shocking for people like him who are not a part of the government but have played a major role in the formation. 

Stating that a thorough probe should be conducted in the letter written by Param Bir Singh, the Shiv Sena MP said that Sharad Pawar is capable of taking decisions. Sanjay Raut said, "I am going to Delhi. I will meet Pawar and I will definitely try to talk to him regarding these developments. There is an urgent need for self-introspection."

Informing that the Maharashtra state government has now completed one and a half years, Raut said that everyone in the government should self-introspect to check if their feet are still grounded or not. Upholding that "The police department is the pride of administration," Raut added, "Param Bir Singh is a former Commissioner now and he has been shunted due to a particular case. He was a good officer. I won't make any personal comment on him. However, he served well till now, but the authenticity of the letter and the allegations made in the letter should be probed as this is what Anil Deshmukh had also said."

Home Minister refutes Param Bir Singh's allegations

What has Param Bir Singh claimed?

In his 8-page letter to 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. Following Param Bir Singh accusing Anil Deshmukh, the latter has said he will file a defamation case against Param Bir and has sought his suspension whilst speaking to Sharad Pawar.

Sachin Vaze & Hiren's connection

Vaze was arrested by NIA last Saturday under Sections 286, 465, 473, 506(2), 120 B of the IPC, and 4(a)(b)(I)Explosive Substances Act 1908 for his alleged role & involvement in an explosives-laden vehicle being placed near Mukesh Ambani's house in Mumbai on February 25. Maharashtra's Leader of opposition  Devendra Fadnavis had produced CD-R call records of Vaze claiming that he was in constant touch with Hiren, while Hiren's wife has alleged that her husband's car was allegedly in Vaze's possession since November 2020. Amid this probe, Mumbai CP Param Bir Singh has been transferred due to lapses in the probe, as stated by the Maharashtra state government.

Car with gelatin sticks found near Antilia

On February 25, at around 3 PM, a car (green Scorpio) laden with explosive gelatin sticks along with a threatening letter was found by Mumbai Police, outside the Ambani residence - Antilia. A primary investigation from the CCTV revealed that the car had been parked near the residence since 1 AM, intervening night on between Wednesday-Thursday. Later on March 5, Mansukh Hiren, the owner of the car in question, was found dead at the Kalwa creek - with police claiming that he committed suicide by jumping into the stream. With the deceased wife alleging murder, autopsy results showed several abrasions on Hiren's face and a cloth stuffed into his mouth, leading to an investigation. NIA has taken over both Mansukh Hiren's death probe and the Antilia bomb scare probe.