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Fadnavis demands CBI probe in alleged corruption in police transfers
Former CM says since the matter relates to the transfer of IPS officers that come under the ministry of home affairs, he will meet Union home secretary in Delhi on Tuesday evening. He will submit the records of the intercepted calls and a copy of the report
Leader of the Opposition in Maharashtra assembly Devendra Fadnavis said on Tuesday that he will meet Union home secretary later in the day to demand a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe in the alleged corruption in transfers of IPS officers even as he claimed that chief minister Uddhav Thackeray overlooked a “very sensitive and explosive” report on the issue submitted by then director general of police (DGP).
In a press conference in Mumbai, the former chief minister said that the commissioner of intelligence, Rashmi Shukla, reportedly intercepted some phone calls pertaining to police transfers and submitted a report to then DGP Subodh Jaiswal who forwarded the comprehensive report to the state government on August 25, 2020.
“Seven months after the report, no action has been taken. Though the CM expressed his concerns over the report and corruption in police transfers, he has kept quiet on the entire episode maybe because of political compulsions. Surprisingly, the report was forwarded to the home minister for further action. Since the entire matter relates to the transfer of IPS officers that come under the ministry of home affairs, I am meeting Union home secretary in Delhi on Tuesday evening. I will submit the records of the intercepted calls and a copy of the report to him, and will demand a CBI inquiry,” Fadnavis said.
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Fadnavis claimed that Jaiswal opted for Central deputation because he was disillusioned that no action was taken on the report. He added that Shukla’s promotion as director general was also blocked by the government. He also alleged that officers whose names came up in the intercepted calls managed to land plum postings.
On home minister Anil Deshmukh’s February meeting with now suspended police officer Sachin Vaze, an allegation made by former Mumbai police chief Param Bir Singh, Fadnavis produced police records listing out the minister’s movement when he was reportedly in home quarantine. “Sharad Pawar saheb yesterday said that Deshmukh was home quarantined from February 15 till the end of the month. But the police records show that he attended meetings at Sahyadri guest house on February 17 and 24. Pawarsaheb has been given wrong information and thus, his attempts to shield Deshmukh have failed,” he said.
Responding to Fadnavis’s allegations, state health minister and NCP leader Rajesh Tope said, “The investigation into all these allegations have already been ordered and all the facts will come to the fore. Appropriate action will be taken after that.”
Maharashtra Congress’s general secretary and spokesperson Sachin Sawant also said, “Fadnavis has been diverting the main issue of Antilia bomb scare by raising other matters not related to it. He has not been able to give evidence related to the bomb scare and Mansukh Hiran’s death case. The call interception by Rashmi Shukla is under scanner over the permissions for them.”
