Dilip Walse Patil named new Maharashtra Home Minister

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Dilip Walse Patil has been given the charge of the Home Department following the resignation of Anil Deshmukh amidst corruption allegations against him.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Dilip Walse Patil has been given the charge of the Home Department following the resignation of l Deshmukh amidst corruption allegations against him.

According to the Maharashtra Chief Minister's Office (CMO), Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray forwarded Maharashtra Home Minister l Deshmukh's resignation to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and informed that Dilip Walse Patil will have charge of the Home department now.

Dilip Walse Patil's Labour department charge is being given to Hasan Mushrif as an additional charge and the state Excise Department will be looked after by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, CMO said.

Deshmukh, who is facing allegations of corruption levelled by former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh, has tendered his resignation to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday.The developments come after Bombay High Court on Monday ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to start a preliminary inquiry within 15 days into corruption allegations against Deshmukh by the former Mumbai Police Commissioner.

The court also directed the agency to register an FIR if any cognizable offence is found. The court also stated that l Deshmukh is the Home Minister and an impartial probe should be done by the police.

In his plea, Param Bir Singh repeated the graft allegations that he had made against Deshmukh in a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, and also accused the Maharashtra Home Minister of interfering in police investigations and involving in severe "malpractices".

Singh had earlier written a letter to Thackeray alleging that Deshmukh had indulged in "malpractices" and asked suspended Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Waze to collect Rs 100 crores every month.

( With inputs from ANI )