As pressure builds up on the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra amid furore over the case related to explosives discovered outside Mukesh Ambani’s house, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar and CM Uddhav Thackeray on Monday, 15 March met to discuss the future course of action, sources told The Quint.
The two leaders discussed the nuances of the case, sources said, even as demands for the removal of Home Minister Anil Deshmukh are being echoed by many in the state Opposition led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“There is no question of home minister’s (Anil Deshmukh) resignation. He is doing his work very well,” Jayant Patil, NCP Maharashtra President, was quoted by ANI as saying.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi also finds itself in a soup over top cop Sachin Vaze’s alleged involvement in the case and association with the owner of the SUV Mansukh Hiren.
Sources told The Quint that several lapses on the part of the Mumbai Police have emerged in relation with the case that is now being investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The case and the subsequent developments have brought disrepute to the force, sources said.
Sena Backs Vaze
Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena has been backing Vaze in the matter ever since his alleged involvement took a political colour in the state. While the Fadnavis-led Opposition has been slamming the Sena due to his links with the party, Sena spokesperson called Vaze an “honest” officer,
On Monday, the party in its mouthpiece Saamana said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was avenging the arrest of journalist Arnab Goswami that was led by Vaze’s team.
The Sena alleged that Vaze’s arrest was a part of a conspiracy since he had led the team that arrested Goswami in the case of abetment of suicide of Mumbai-based interior designer Anvay Naik.
“Vaze has been on the Centre’s hitlist ever since he arrested and put Goswami behind bars,” the editorial read.
“One thing is clear – the NIA has been sent here to ‘settle scores’ from the past. Vaze and his colleagues had arrested Goswami and unearthed the TRP scam. The Centre has made sure of Vaze’s arrest in return,” it added.
Vaze has been arrested and remanded to the custody of the NIA in the case.
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