'Project given to Mumbai CP's family-run firm after govt nod'

Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Thursday said that the firm owned by Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Barve's family had been given the project to digitise city police's records after the then state government granted permission for it.

The project was given to the firm, CrispQ Information Technologies Pvt Ltd, owned by Barve's son Sumukh Barve and wife Sharmila Barve, by the previous Devendra Fadnavis-led government for five years.

"The firm was given the digitisation project after the (then) state government granted permission for it. There is a letter of permission from the Joint Secretary of Home Department Sunil Sovitkar dated October 7, 2019," Deshmukh told reporters after meeting Barve.

Earlier in the day, Deshmukh had told reporters that he has sought details of the project and called Barve for a meeting in that connection.

On Wednesday, Barve had acknowledged that the firm owned by his son and wife was given the project, but said that the services were offered free of cost and there was "no question" of any financial gain.

The firm, CrispQ Information Technologies Pvt Ltd, offered its services "free of cost and there was no question of any financial gains to it", Barve had told PTI.

"The company had offered its service pro bono and it was for the benefit of the Mumbai Police," he said.

Barve is set to retire on February 29.