In an explosive twist to the Antilia case, former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh has accused Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh of extortion.
In his letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Singh claimed that Deshmukh had directed suspended API Sachin Waze to collect Rs 100 crore every month for him from bars restaurants, other establishments.
It is clear from the letter that the Chief Minister knew about this as Singh in his letter writes: “At one of the briefing sessions in the wake of the Antilia incident held in mid-March when I was called late evening at Varsha to brief you I had pointed at several misdeeds and malpractices being indulged into by the Home Minister.”
Singh said he had also briefed Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, other senior ministers, and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar. While briefing the ministers, the former Mumbai top cop noticed that some of them were already aware of some aspects mentioned by him.
He further said that Sachin Waze, who was heading the Crime Intelligence Unit of the Crime Branch of Mumbai Police was called by the Deshmukh to his official residence several times in the last few months and repeatedly instructed to assist in the collection of funds for the minister.
Deshmukh also said that if a sum of Rs 2-3 lakh each was collected then Rs 40-50 crore monthly collection was achievable.
"Waze came to my office the same day and informed me of the above, I was shocked with the above discussion and was mulling how to deal with the situation," Singh said in his letter.
He further accused the Home Minister of repeatedly calling Mumbai Police officers at his official residence bypassing him and other superior officers of the police department.
"He has been instructing them to carry out official assignments and collection schemes including financial transactions as per his instructions based on his expectations and targets to collect money," said the shunted top cop.
Reacting to this big development the BJP has demanded the removal of the home minister.
BJP’s Kirit Somaiya said, “Ex-Mumbai Police Commissioner says real extortionist is Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh Sachin Waze used to meet him several times. Deshmukh was extorting Money from Pub etc. BJP demand Anil Deshmukh should be sacked.”
Defending himself Deshmukh claimed that Singh has made false allegations in order to save himself.
"The former Commissioner of Police, Parambir Singh has made false allegations in order to save himself as the involvement of Sachin Waze in Mukesh Ambani & Mansukh Hiren’s case is becoming clearer from the investigation carried out so far & threads are leading to Mr. Singh as well," he said in a tweet.
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