Amid the growing clamour for Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh’s resignation following extortion charges levelled against him by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Supremo Sharad Pawar in a press conference on Monday said that Anil Deshmukh did not meet the suspended police officer Sachin Vaze as he was admitted to a hospital that time due to Corona.
ALSO READ | 'Param Bir Singh's Letter Has Allegations But No Proof Against Anil Deshmukh', Says NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar
Ruling out Anil Deshmukh's Resignation, Pawar while speaking to the media today said "If you see the former Commissioner's letter, he mentions that in mid-February he was informed by certain officers that they got such and such instructions from Home Minister...From 6th-16th Feb, Mr Deshmuklh was admitted in the hospital because of Corona."
When asked about BJP's demand of Maharashtra Home Minister's resignation, Pawar said, "It is clear that during the period about which the allegations were made, Anil Deshmukh was hospitalised. As this is clear, such demands hold no power."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://news.abplive.com/news/india/param-bir-singh-letter-uddhav-thackeray-anil-deshmukh-asked-sachin-vaze-to-collect-rs-100-cr-1449374">#WATCH</a>: NCP chief Sharad Pawar replies to questions over BJP's Amit Malviya's tweet that Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh was holding a press conference on Feb 15th, as opposed to the NCP chief's statement that he was admitted to hospital at the time. <a >pic.twitter.com/7f4lYLIdaV</a></p>— ANI (@ANI) <a >March 22, 2021</a></blockquote>
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His comments came after the former Mumbai police chief claimed Deshmukh wanted officers to collect Rs 100 crore monthly from bars and hotels in Mumbai. In a letter written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, former Mumbai Police Comissioner Param Bir Singh alleged that state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has been involved in several 'malpractices' including connection with arrested cop Sachin Vaze.
ALSO READ | Anil Deshmukh Asked Vaze To Collect Rs 100 Cr For Him Per Month: Param Bir Singh Tells Uddhav Thackeray
On Sunday, NCP leader Jayant Patil met Sharad Pawar to decide on the future course of action in the wake of the controversy. After the meeting, Patil told reports that there is no question of Deshmukh’s resignation, stating that the culprit will be punished as the ATS is investigating the Antilia bomb scare case as well as Thane-based businessmen Mansukh Hiren’s murder case.