Elgar: Maha reverses stand, says no objection to NIA probe

In a change of stand, the Maharashtra government has said it has no objection to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) taking over probe into the Elgar Parishad case, in which human rights activists have been arrested for alleged links with Maoists.

Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sanjay Kumar told PTI on Thursday that "the state home department has no objection to the case being entrusted to the NIA".

Home Minister Anil Deshmukh sought to put the ball in the court of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who belongs to the Shiv Sena, the lead constituent in the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi which also consists of the NCP and the Congress.

Talking to reporters here, Deshmukh, an NCP leader, said "The state agencies were investigating the Koregaon Bhima (Elgar Parishad) case. But, the Centre handed over the investigation to the NIA.

"As Home Minister, my stand was that the Centre should have taken the state government into confidence before taking the decision. We were putting up our stand in the court in this direction. The Chief Minister has the right to overrule my stand."