Anil Deshmukh has tendered his resignation as the Maharashtra Home Minister in the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, the party announced on Monday.
Deshmukh had earlier rejected calls for his resignation for weeks, saying he had done nothing wrong but now he resigned “on moral grounds”.
The development came shortly after the Bombay High Court directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to start a preliminary inquiry within 15 days into allegations of corruption and misconduct levelled by former Mumbai police chief Param Bir Singh against him.
“Deshmukh informed NCP chief Sharad Pawar that it won’t be appropriate to remain in the post as Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will be probing the charges against him,” news agency PTI quoted Malik as saying. “He took the step to honour the high court’s decision,” he added.
Param Bir Singh, in an unprecedented way, was shunted out as Mumbai Commissioner of Police after a fallout of the Antilla case, had accused Deshmukh of using assistant police inspector and former “encounter specialist” Sachin Waze to collect Rs 100 crore per month from bars.
He also alleged in a petition that he was targeted because he had complained to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray about Anil Deshmukh, listing several allegations including extortion and illegal transfers.
“Truth will come out in the preliminary inquiry. It is improper for Deshmukh to continue as minister after the HC order. He should resign on moral grounds, face the probe and come back to the ministry if he is found to be innocent,” BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said earlier during the day.
