Former Maharashtra CM calls for Home Minister Anil Deshmukh’s resignation

Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, March 20

Former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has demanded the resignation of Home Minister Anil Deshmukh following explosive claims by former Mumbai Commissioner Param Bir Singh in his purported letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

“If he doesn't (resign), the Chief Minister must remove him. An Impartial probe must be conducted,” he said, after Param Bir Singh wrote to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray accusing Deshmukh of asking police officers to collect at least Rs 100 crore from bars and hotels each month.  

In an eight-page letter, Singh alleged that Deshmukh used to call police officers to his official residence and give them a "collection target" from bars, restaurants and other establishments.

Deshmukh has denied the allegation.

"The letter also states that CM was intimated about this earlier so why didn't he act on it,” Fadnavis said.

According to reports, Singh also alleged that Deshmukh also told Waze, the disgraced top who was then heading the Crime Intelligence Unit, (CIU) and another policeman, ACP Sanjay Patil, that there were 1,750 bars, restaurants, hookha parlours and establishment operating in Mumbai. 

Param Bir Singh’s reported “allegation of corruption” against Deshmukh has put a question mark on not just his future but also that of the Maha Aghadi government led by Uddhav Thackeray. Both NCP and the Congress are part of the state government.

According to the letter, Deshmukh “pressurised him to register an FIR in the abetment to suicide case of Mohan Delkar, the Dadar and Nagar Haveli MP who allegedly died by suicide on February 22”.