Vaze-Deshmukh row: MVA may announce probe today

The probe is likely to be announced under the Commission of Inquiry Act which gives certain powers to panel and has legal weightage

The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government is likely to announce on Wednesday a probe into the allegations of a bribery ring levelled by IPS officer Param Bir Singh against home minister Anil Deshmukh.

(PTI)

Mired in controversy over the arrest of police officer Sachin Vaze in Antilia bomb scare case and allegations of corruption racket in transfer of police personnel, the MVA, mainly the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Shiv Sena, has been planning a two-point strategy to come out of the situation – announcing a probe into the allegations and easing Deshmukh out of the home department.

The probe is likely to be announced under the Commission of Inquiry Act which gives certain powers to panel and has legal weightage. “The nature of the probe is being worked out. It could be headed by a retired high court judge,” said a senior NCP functionary. NCP chief Sharad Pawar had earlier suggested a probe by a retired senior police officer and recommended the name of former Mumbai Police chief Julio Ribeiro, who denied saying he did not want to get involved in a probe at his age (91) and in such a “murky situation”.

The NCP leadership, however, is yet undecided whether to shunt out Deshmukh immediately or in a minor reshuffle of the cabinet in the next few weeks.

MVA leaders said all decisions related to damage control exercise are being taken at the level of NCP chief Sharad Pawar and chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. The three parties are likely to formally have a discussion on the ongoing crisis on Wednesday or Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has approached Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and Central government, demanding dismissal of the MVA government and a Central Bureau of Investigation probe in the allegations. On Wednesday, a delegation led by the opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis will meet the Governor to press the demand.

From the time the controversy broke out, the NCP leadership has been backing Deshmukh, but at the same time, it was also of the view that he needed to be replaced at an appropriate time. “The party is still deliberating the pros and cons if Deshmukh is removed from the home department immediately. Pawar saheb also discussed with a senior leaders a few probable candidates who can lead the crucial department. They were deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, state NCP chief Jayant Patil, labour minister Dilip Walse Patil and health minister Rajesh Tope,” said an NCP minister, requesting anonymity.

A section of NCP leaders also believes if Deshmukh was removed then the BJP’s next target would be Thackeray as they want to pull down the MVA government. The state may also announce a probe into the illegal phone tapping case as alleged by NCP minister Nawab Malik.

Hinting at it, water resources minister Jayant Patil said in Sangli: “Phone tapping is a serious crime. On what grounds were phones of people tapped; on whose order was it done? All those involved will have to give an explanation. There has to be some investigation.”

On Tuesday, Fadnavis alleged he has data of suspicious call records intercepted by then intelligence commissioner Rashmi Shukla after she received information about a racket of brokers existing in the IPS transfers and tapping was done with prior permission from the additional chief secretary of home department.

Malik claimed the phones were illegally tapped as it was done without taking any permission. “It is not right as she (Rashmi Shukla) didn’t obtain permission and tapped phone records illegally, which is a crime,” he said.

65 crime branch cops transferred

In a major reshuffle, 86 police personnel were transferred to police stations, social branches and local arms (LA) unit on Tuesday, following the massive controversy that erupted after the role of suspended cop Sachin Vaze came to light in the Antilia explosives scare case. Of the 86, 65 are crime branch officers, including assistant police inspectors Riyazuddin Qazi and Prakash Howal. While Qazi was transferred to LA unit, Howal will be posted at Malabar Hill police station. The duo was recently questioned by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for their alleged close association with Vaze. Among the 65 crime branch officers, 28 are inspectors, 17 are assistant inspectors, while 20 are sub-inspectors.