CM likely to take call on probe after consulting Pawar

Even as the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar has thrown the ball over announcing a probe into the allegations made by former Mumbai top cop Param Bir Singh in Uddhav Thackeray’s court, the chief minister (CM) has not taken a decision on it yet

Even as the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar has thrown the ball over announcing a probe into the allegations made by former Mumbai top cop Param Bir Singh in Uddhav Thackeray’s court, the chief minister (CM) has not taken a decision on it yet. Senior Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ministers said the CM is expected to make a decision in consultation with Pawar on the scope of the probe and then decide.

(Arvind Yadav/HT PHOTO)

MVA government is also racing against time, as Singh has moved the Supreme Court on Monday, seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the entire issue. But as MVA government has withdrawn the general consent given to CBI, the agency has to seek the state’s permission for cases registered in Maharashtra before it can conduct a probe, unless an investigation is ordered by the court. If the Apex court hears Singh’s petition and decides to allow the central agency to probe the case, it will be another embarrassment for the three-party government. It could also be politically problematic for the ruling coalition.

An MVA minister, requesting anonymity, said, “CM is waiting to have a dialogue with Pawar over the probe. Once they discuss the modalities and the scope of the probe, a decision is expected to be made on it.”

Earlier in the day, Pawar told reporters in Delhi that the decision to announce an investigation lies with CM. “To probe or not the CM’s right and he has to decide on it. Yesterday [on Sunday], I had suggested that a person like [former IPS officer Julio] Ribeiro should probe the matter. But as it is clear that he was not there [in Mumbai], now it is not our demand,” he said.

Most MVA ministers, however, want a probe to send across a message that the government is taking due cognisance of the serious allegations against it.

Meanwhile, CM held a review meeting with law and judiciary department officials on Monday evening.

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Athawale’s demand

Union minister Ramdas Athawale has asked the country’s home minister Amit Shah to impose President’s Rule in Maharashtra in view of the “deteriorating law and order” in the state.

Athawale said he will meet Shah on Tuesday to apprise him of the situation in the state and press for the dismissal of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

In his press release, Athawale pointed out that the current situation – former cop Sachin Vaze’s arrest and the allegations by former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh against state home minister Anil Deshmukh – has caused tremendous anger among citizens.

“These incidents indicate the collapse of law and order and call for President’s Rule in the state,” said Athawale, adding that the recent incidents had adversely affected the morale of the Maharashtra Police.

Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has demanded an open inquiry against a top-serving police officer, alleging that he seems to be abetting the mafia raj in the state. AAP leaders alleged that the said officer has also been indicted by his seniors, but has been able to escape punitive action due to the blessings of his political masters, spread across party lines. AAP has demanded that the inquiry be conducted by a sitting or a retired judge.