A political turmoil has unfolded in Maharashtra over former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh’s letter that accused state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh of corruption. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar on Sunday sought an “in-depth inquiry by an officer of reput should be conducted in the case” and advised the CM to seek former IPS officer Julio Ribeiro’s help in the case.
Who is Julio Ribeiro?
Julio Ribeiro, a Padma Bhushan recipient has served as Mumbai police commissioner. He was also director-general of Punjab and Gujarat and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). He had also led the Punjab Police during the Punjab insurgency periods that started in the early 1980s, during which he spearheaded the crackdown on Sikh militants.
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Ribeiro has also faced two assassination attempts – one in 1986, when six men in police disguise attacked him at the Punjab Police headquarters, and another in 1991 when he was the Indian Ambassador to Romania. Ribeiro has also written an autobiography by the title “Bullet for Bullet: My Life as a Police Officer”.
Param Bir Singh Letter Row
Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh, who has now been posted as Commandant General of Home Guards, accused Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh of indulging in “malpractices” and alleged that he asked suspended API Sachin Vaze to collect Rs 100 crores every month. Singh confirmed today that it was indeed him who wrote the explosive letter.
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Following the corruption charges, Sharad Pawar has said that the allegations levelled against the Maharashtra Home Minister are “serious”. The BJP has also mounted pressure on Deshmukh to step down from his post.
“We (NCP leaders, CM Uddhav Thackeray) will discuss the resignation as well. Whatever alternative comes, we’ll see. A final decision on his fate will be taken in 2-3 days,” the NCP supremo said.
The allegations were made a day after Deshmukh had said that Param Bir Singh was moved out as Mumbai Police Commissioner so that cases pertaining to Vaze were probed without obstruction.
With PTI inputs
