';He is diverting issue', Devendra Fadnavis after Sharad Pawar's remark on Anil Deshmukh

After Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar's remarks that Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh was in hospital in February when former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh claimed he had met arrested policeman Sachin Waze, BJP's Devendra Fadnavis on Monday accused Pawar of "diverting the issue."

After Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar's remarks that Maharashtra Home Minister l Deshmukh was in hospital in February when former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh claimed he had met arrested policeman Sachin Waze, BJP's Devendra Fadnavis on Monday accused Pawar of "diverting the issue."

Sharing a screenshot of the WhatsApp chats between Singh and ACP Sanjay Patil, Fadnavis tweeted, "It seems Sharad Pawar Ji is not briefed properly on Parambir Singh's letter. In this letter only, the SMS evidence shows that the meeting date was mentioned as the end of February. Now, who is diverting issue?"

In the screenshot shared by Fadnavis alongside his tweet, Singh is asking Patil about the date of his meeting with Deshmukh to which Patil replies "in the end of February."

Pawar in his press conference today had also said that Deshmukh was in-home quarantine till February 27. Reacting to Pawar's statement Fanavis further tweeted, "Sharad Pawar Ji said, from February 15 to 27 Home Minister l Deshmukh was in-home quarantine. But actually, along with security guards and media he was seen taking press conference!"

The former Maharashtra Chief Minister also shared the tweet of Deshmukh with a video of him talking to reporters.

Deshmukh's tweet dated February 15 said, "My statement regarding the tweets made by celebrities on the issue of farmers' movement was distorted. It was not my order to inquire about celebrities. I had ordered an inquiry into the involvement of the BJP's IT cell in the case. Lata Mangeshkar is our God."

Giving clarifications on the dates mentioned by Pawar in his today's press conference, D4eshmukh today speaking to said, "I was in home quarantine from February 15 to 27. I stepped out of my house for the first time on February 28."

"A few journalists were waiting for me at the hospital gate after I got discharged on February 15. I was feeling low and weak so I sat on the chair there and responded to their questions. Then I went straight to my car and went home," claimed the Maharashtra Home Minister.

Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh on Saturday wrote a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, alleging that Deshmukh had indulged in "malpractices" and asked suspended API Sachin Waze to collect Rs 100 crore every month.

The allegations made by Singh came a day after Deshmukh had said that Singh was moved out as Mumbai Police Commissioner so that cases pertaining to Waze were probed without obstruction.

In the letter, Singh, who has now been posted as Commandant General of Home Guards, had said that he has been "made a scapegoat to divert attention from the actual wrongdoers".

He had alleged that Sachin Vaze, who was heading the Crime Intelligence Unit of the Crime Branch of the Mumbai Police, was called by Deshmukh to his official residence several times in the last few months and "repeatedly instructed to assist in the collection of funds".

Waze, Assistant Police Inspector in the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU), who was transferred to the Citizen Facilitation Centre at Mumbai Police headquarters after his name came up in Mansukh Hiran death case, has been sent to the NIA custody till March 25, in connection with his alleged role and involvement in placing an explosives-laden vehicle near Mukesh Amb's residence.

( With inputs from ANI )