‘Anil Deshmukh told me collected money…’: Ex-Mumbai top cop Param Bir Singh's big claim
Param Bir Singh had accused Anil Deshmukh of extorting money from bars and restaurants in the city during the latter's stint as Maharashtra home minister.
Former Mumbai top cop Param Bir Singh on Monday claimed that former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh told him that money collected through extortion and other means went to Jayant Patil, who managed funds of the undivided Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
While speaking to PTI, Singh alleged that Deshmukh had set a “collection target” of ₹100 crore from Mumbai to his officers. The 1988 batch IPS officer alleged that Deshmukh also spoke about his plans to target key opposition leaders including now deputy CM and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis.
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"The ₹100 crore collection target was for Mumbai city for which my officers were pressured. The target for the rest of the state was different," Singh told PTI , adding people involved in illegal activities, including the banned gutkha business, were also called for discussions on money collection.
"Those who called were people in contact with Deshmukh and his son (Salil). There must be a big target, I don't want to speculate, the money coming from illicit activities was different too," Singh claimed.
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Param Bir Singh, who had dropped the bombshell accusing Deshmukh of extorting money from bars in Mumbai via dismissed cop Sachin Vaze, alleged that the then home minister's son used to call officers and collect money for their postings.
"There used to be negotiations at a hotel in western suburbs. Anil Deshmukh himself had told me two to three times that the collected money went to Jayant Patil who looked after the party funds," Singh alleged.
Jayant Patil was the water resources minister in the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government and was also the Maharashtra unit chief of the undivided NCP.
‘MVA govt wanted to frame then opposition leaders’: Param Bir Singh
Further, Singh alleged that during his stint as Mumbai top cop between February 2020 and March 2021, Deshmukh and other MVA leaders wanted to target some opposition leaders.
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“Regular meetings in this regard were held at the official bungalow of Anil Deshmukh, where ex-MLA Anil Gote, public prosecutor Pravin Chavan and he himself were present, he claimed. At one such meeting, Gote and Chavan brought with them three to four complainants and they wanted cases to be registered against BJP MLA Jaykumar Rawal and former minister Girish Mahajan,” Singh said.
"I went through the complaints and said no cases can be made out and I refused (to take the matter forward). Another meeting was held at 'Silver Oak', the south Mumbai home of Sharad Pawar, where apart from the senior Pawar, Anil Deshmukh, Gote, Pravin Chavan were present. Again the same discussion took place and pressure was brought, (but) I clearly said no cases were made out (against the two BJP leaders)," Singh stated.
"A (separate) meeting was held at then-CM Uddhav Thackeray's bungalow to register a case against (BJP leader) Pravin Darekar. Anil Deshmukh was also present. They wanted me to arrest him (Darekar) in the Mumbai District Central Co-operative Bank case (related to alleged irregularities)," he added.
Deshmukh's son hits back
Anil Deshmukh's son Salil hit back at Param Bir Singh, saying,"Param Bir Singh where were you all these days... Param Bir Singh you keep reading the script given to you by the BJP and Devendra Fadnavis. It will not matter because you will be arrested by the NIA no matter how much you please the BJP."