The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar defended Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Monday, saying he need not resign because the allegations made by Mumbai’s former police chief Param Bir Singh are unfounded, false and motivated.
The IPS officer, on the other hand, moved the Supreme Court, seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the cancellation of his transfer.
On the same day, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) raked up the controversy in Parliament and demanded President’s Rule in Maharashtra.
Pawar said in New Delhi that Deshmukh could not have been available to meet arrested and suspended police officer Sachin Waze in February — as claimed by Singh — as was in the hospital and home isolation in Nagpur due to COVID.
However, it was brought to Pawar’s notice that Deshmukh addressed a media conference on February 15, in violation of COVID norms.
The BJP IT Cell’s chief re-tweeted Deshmukh’s February 15 tweet where he was seen talking to the media with a posse of security personal around him.
Pawar said his information on Deshmukh’s unavailability was based on hospital documents he was given.
Deshmukh clarified that he had addressed the media before leaving the hospital for home.
“Anil Deshmukh was in the hospital from February 5 to 15 and from February 15 to 27, he was in home isolation in Nagpur. We will share these records with the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. The question of Deshmukh’s resignation does not arise now,” said Pawar.
Surjitt Sahani
