.jpg?width=1200)
Mumbai: Former police commissioner of Mumbai Pram Bir Singh created a sensation on Friday when he challenged former home minister Anil Deshmukh and his son Salil to jointly take a narco test with him on the Antilia bomb scare issue. He told the Marathi TV channel ABP Majha that the allegation that he was the mastermind behind the Antilia bomb issue was totally false. "I dare Anil Deshmukh and his son to take a narco test along with me so that the truth emerges," he added.
Singh reiterated his allegation that Deshmukh had set a target of extorting Rs 100 crs each month from Mumbai's bars and other establishments and the police machinery was under pressure in this regard. He said apart from this Deshmukh, who was a minister in the MVA government, also interfered considerably in the posting of police officers.
He alleged that Salil and one Kundan Shinde used to meet police officers seeking good postings at The Lalit near Sahar international airport. He claimed that he had several video recordings and that he would make them public at the "appropriate time." He said he had ordered the transfer of ten deputy police commissioners on merit, but the then additional chief secretary (home) stayed their transfer under Deshmukh's instructions. He said strangely enough most of the officers were retained once against on the orders of Deshmukh. He said the reason for the same was known to all.
Singh alleged that actor Sushant Singh Rajput's matter was utilised by Deshmukh to establish contact with Bollywood. He said the then minister wanted him to summon several actors and filmmakers in connection with the probe into Rajput's death so that they would go and fall at his feet. The ex-cop claimed (on the basis of news reports) that the Justice Chandiwal commission in its report had exonerated him.
Singh said he was sought to be used by Deshmukh to target political rivals of the MVA government. He said he was asked to arrest senior BJP leader Girish Mahajan and others. But he refused. The former IPS officer said when he came to know that Deshmukh was putting pressure on his staff to extort money he had gone to meet the then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, and Jayant Patil to complain against him, but none took his complain seriously for reasons best known to them. He said the meeting with Thackeray took place at "Matoshri" bungalow while the meeting with Pawar was held in Silver Oak apartment.
He alleged that Deshmukh wanted him to take action against Pravin Darekar of the BJP in the Maharashtra cooperative bank scam. But he refused. He said criminals like Riyaz Bhatti were actively involved with the powers that be.
Deshmukh had alleged that deputy chief minister and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis was using Singh and incarcerated cop Sachin Vaze to settle political scores with him. Sushma Andhare of the Shiv Sena (UBT) wondered how Vaze, who was in jail, could give an interview to a news agency. She alleged that this could happen because of the role of Fadnavis.
