Lalitgate: Maha home department examining Rakesh Maria's defence

CM Devendra Fadnavis to decide Maria's fate after the department submits report

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in Maharashtra on Tuesday scoffed at reports on the purported transfer of Mumbai police commissioner Rakesh Maria in the wake of controversy over his meeting with Lalit Modi last year in London.

The state Additional Chief Secretary (Home) KP Bakshi told reporters he was studying the explanation given to him by Maria. “Maria has not tendered in his resignation. Please stop speculations. I will offer my opinion to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis after studying Maria’s submission,” Bakshi said.

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He said it is the chief minister who will decide Maria’s fate.

Bakshi’s statement is crucial after the former Union Home Secretary and BJP MP RK Singh said “helping a ‘bhagoda’ (fugitive) is wrong, never mind who helped him.” Singh's comments come at a time when Maria has been forced to furnish a detailed explanation for his meeting with Lalit Modi last year in London.



Maria has clarified that Lalit Modi’s lawyer organised the meeting where the entrepreneur sought assistance against the alleged death threats from the underworld. The Mumbai top cop further added that he urged Lalit Modi to return to Mumbai to face the charges against him.

Maria, in his defence, said that he had informed the former state Home Minister, the late RR Patil, of his session with Lalit Modi.

Former IPL boss Lalit Modi is wanted in India to answer charges of corruption, tax evasion and money laundering.