Case against Maharashtra BJP chief, others for violating Covid-19 norms

A case has been registered against Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil and 40-50 party workers for violating guidelines during a protest demanding Home Minister Anil Deshmukh's resignation

A case has been registered against Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil and 40-50 party workers for violating COVID guidelines during a protest held in Pune on Monday demanding Home Minister Anil Deshmukh's resignation over alleged corruption charges levelled against him.

The case has been registered at Vishrambaugh Police station here.

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.