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Mumbai extortion scandal: Pawar caught off-guard after giving Covid justification to defend Anil Deshmukh

NCP supremo Sharad Pawar addressed the media in New Delhi on Monday about the charges levelled Param Bir Singh and punched holes in the former Mumbai top cop's claims. But Pawar was caught off-guard when his defence of Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh was challenged mid-way the briefing.

Mumbai extortion scandal echoes in Parliament; Pawar says Anil Deshmukh won't resign
Author
Mumbai, First Published Mar 22, 2021, 1:15 PM IST

The massive extortion scandal that rocked Maharashtra last week echoed in Parliament on Monday with many Bharatiya Janata Party MPs demanding an investigation into the explosive charges made by former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh.

Some MPs even demanded the imposition of President's Rule in Maharashtra after Param Bir accused state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh of political interference in cases and ordering police officers to extort up to Rs 100 crore monthly from bars, restaurants and other establishments in the city.

The National Congress Party, however, has ruled out Anil Deshmukh's resignation.

NCP supremo Sharad Pawar addressed the media in New Delhi on Monday with regard to the charged levelled Param Bir Singh and punched holes in the former Mumbai top cop's claims.

Defending the state home minister, Pawar said from February 5-15, Deshmukh was admitted to a hospital in Nagpur due to Coronavirus. 

"Alexis Hospital in Nagpur has issued a certificate stating that he was undergoing treatment for Coronavirus from February 5-15. He was discharged on February 15. Thereafter, he was advised home quarantine till February 27," Pawar said.

"If he (Param Bir) had knowledge of wrongdoings in February, why did he wait till the second week of March to notify the chief minister, deputy chief minister about the charges," the NCP supremo asked.

"Vague allegations are being made. There (Param Bir's letter) was an attempt to derail the investigation. The truth is now emerging," he added.

"These claims will not impact the government. I had said (on Sunday) that the charges are serious. The new revelations have shown that Deshmukh was in Nagpur in the period when he is accused of. So the question of his resignation does not arise."

Even though Pawar cited Covid-19 treatment to almost give Anil Deshmukh a clean chit, he seems to have not received information about the latter addressing a press briefing on the date he was supposed to be under home quarantine.

 

 

The February 15 media conference was called to clarify his statements regarding celebrity tweets on the issue of farmers' protest. 

Asked about the February 15 press conference, Pawar appeared to have been caught off-guard and evaded media questions stating that his statement was based on the information that came to him.

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