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Pawar to meet Modi and Shah over ’misuse of power’ as Deshmukh released on bail
Deshmukh was released on bail from Mumbai’s Arthur Road prison when several senior NCP members including Ajit Pawar, Jayant Patil, Chhagan Bhujbal greeted him outside the jail
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar termed the arrest of his party colleague Anil Deshmukh as an example of “misuse of power” by investigating agencies and he plans to bring this issue before Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to prevent anyone going through a similar situation in the future.
Pawar was speaking to reporters in Pune after Deshmukh was released on bail on Wednesday. “I will take this up with Home Minister Amit Shah and if possible before Prime Minister as well. Deshmukh has suffered a lot and others should not face a similar situation.” said Pawar.
Deshmukh was released on bail from Mumbai’s Arthur Road prison at around 5 pm when several senior NCP members including Ajit Pawar, Jayant Patil, Chhagan Bhujbal greeted him outside the jail.
“How power is misused can be seen in Deshmukh’s case. The court has clearly said in its order that there is no evidence against him. Initially, the accusations were made about ₹100 crores but in the chargesheet, the figure was reduced to ₹1 crore,” Pawar said while expressing satisfaction over the bail given to Deshmukh in a corruption case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
On the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, Pawar also said while his party has not sought any amendments in the law, considered to be stricter, he plans to raise the issue of taking its review in the parliament.
Meanwhile Pawar visited Congress Bhavan in Pune after 19 years as the party celebrated its foundation day. At Congress Bhavan, NCP chief said, there can never be Congress mukta Bharat, a slogan first given by Narendra Modi. “Some people talk about Congress mukta Bharat. But the ideaology of Congress cannot be ignored. There can be differences over its ideology and I also have some, but we have to go ahead in politics with Congress,” Pawar said.
