Hours after the Bombay High Court ordered a CBI probe into corruption allegations against him, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh tendered his resignation to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday.
Deshmukh is facing allegations of corruption levelled by former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh. The court ordered the CBI to start a preliminary inquiry within 15 days into corruption allegations against him. The court has also directed the agency to register an FIR if any cognizable offence is found.
NCP leader Nawab Malik said, “After the Bombay High Court ordered CBI probe on the letter of former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh, Deshmukh expressed desire to step down.”
In his resignation letter, Deshmukh has stated that he doesn’t find it morally correct to continue as the home minister after the Bombay High Court’s order.
— ANIL DESHMUKH (@AnilDeshmukhNCP) April 5, 2021
The court also stated that Anil Deshmukh is the Home Minister and no impartial probe can be done by the police.
In his plea, Param Bir Singh repeated the graft allegations that he had made against Deshmukh in a letter to CM Thackeray, and also accused the Maharashtra Home Minister of interfering in police investigations and involving in severe “malpractices”.
Singh had earlier written a letter to Thackeray alleging that Deshmukh had indulged in “malpractices” and asked suspended Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Waze to collect Rs 100 crores every month.
Besides, the BJP had been demanding his removal from the Maharashtra government after the former Mumbai police chief’s letter alleging that Deshmukh wanted police officers to collect Rs 100 crore monthly from bars and hotels in Mumbai. However, the government had maintained that such allegations were part of a “conspiracy” to defame it.
(With ANI inputs)