Embattled Anil Deshmukh writes to Maharashtra CM to probe Param Bir's charges against him

Facing the Opposition ire, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has written a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray seeking an investigation into the corruption allegations levelled against him by former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh. Taking to his Twitter handle, Deshmukh shared the letter written to Thackeray

The Home Miniter refuted the charges of extortion levelled against him by Param Bir after and demanded unalloyed justice in the matter. The letter noted that the accusations came after the CP's transfer to the position of Director General (Home Guards), amid the ongoing high-level investigation into the Antilia bomb scare-Mansukh Hiren death case. 

Param Bir Singh in an open letter to CM Uddhav dated March 17, had alleged that Deshmukh was involved in corrupt activities and abused his power as Home Minister by using inspectors as "pawns" to extort crores of money from pubs, bars, and other places in Mumbai. 

The former Mumbai CP also filed a petition at the Supreme Court, demanding a CBI investigation into the alleged malpractices of Deshmukh. However, the top court on Wednesday directed the petitioner to approach the Bombay HC since his request for a CBI probe could also be allowed by the high court. Besides, the bench led by Justice Kaul and Justice Subhash Reddy also observed that the matter was 'quite serious' and affects the administration at large. 

Param Bir Singh to approach Bombay HC

Param Bir Singh's advocate Mukul Rohatgi opted to withdraw the petition from the SC bench and said he would approach the  Bombay HC and request for the matter to be taken up on Thursday.  Singh, who was shunted out after explosives were found in an abandoned SUV outside Mukesh Ambani’s residence, Antilia, and the subsequent arrest of inspector Sachin Vaze in the case, had filed a writ petition in the top court on Monday.

In his plea, Singh has claimed that he was transferred to a low-key post “immediately after" he brought the corrupt practices of Deshmukh to the knowledge of Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and some other senior leaders in the state government.

(Image credits: ANI)