HK Patil holds meeting with Congress leaders over situation in Maharashtra

All India Congress Committee in-charge of Maharashtra HK Patil on Sunday held a meeting with the Maharashtra Congress leaders over the situation and sought a report on it.

"Held a meeting with the Maharashtra Congress Legislative Party (CPL) leaders, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president and Maharashtra Core Group leaders yesterday through video conferencing, took a stock of the situation and sought a report on the situation," said HK Patil.

"Yesterday our in-charge HK Patil talked to us and we apprised him with present situation. Ultimately we are all together in Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)," added Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat.

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 Param Bir 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 Hiren 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.

( With inputs from ANI )