Was Asked to Sign Affidavits Implicating Thackerays, Pawar By Fadnavis' Aide: Claims Anil Deshmukh

Mumbai: Former Home Minister of Maharashtra Anil Deshmukh, on Wednesday, claimed that an intermediary of then Leader of Opposition (LoP) Devendra Fadnavis had asked him to sign affidavits implicating crucial leaders of the then Maha Vikas Aghadi government to avoid getting embroiled in litigation himself.

Deshmukh however said that he refused to oblige the current Deputy Chief Minister's aide by not signing the papers.

Deshmukh told media persons that he was asked to frame NCP (SP) Supremo Sharad Pawar, then Finance Minister Ajit Pawar, then state Chief Minister Uddav Thackeray and his son and former Cabinet Minister Aaditya Thackeray and then Transport Minister Anil Parab.

Deshmukh, who is known to be a confidante and a loyalist of Sharad Pawar, said he was asked to do so to avoid getting embroiled in litigation himself, an allegation that Fadnavis denied.

Counter-allegations flew as Fadnavis called Deshmukh's allegations ‘baseless.’

Fadnavis, who is also the Home Minister of the state, said, “Anil Deshmukh should know that his party leaders have provided me with multiple pieces of audio-visual evidence of his comments about the CM Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, or the controversial police officer Sachin Waze. If false accusations are levelled against me, I will have no choice but to make this evidence public.”

Fadnavis said Deshmukh was not discharged in the case where he was accused of asking police officials to collect Rs 100 crore, but he was only out on bail.

Deshmukh stepped down as Home Minister in April 2021 after then-Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh accused him of asking cops to collect money from hotel and bar owners in the city.

Enforcement Directorate (ED) in November 2021 arrested Deshmukh for allegedly misusing his position as state home minister and collecting Rs 4.70 crore from various bars in Mumbai through some police officers.

On October 4, the Bombay High Court granted bail to Deshmukh in the money laundering case.