Amid the uproar over the arrest of Mumbai Police officer Sachin Vaze about a probe into the recovery of explosives from an SUV car found near Indian businessman Mukesh Ambani residence, Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh and health minister Rajesh Tope are in Delhi to meet the NCP supremo Sharad Pawar.
Emerging from the meeting after nearly two hours, Deshmukh said that they discussed the fallout in the Antilia bomb scare case in which an explosive-laden SUV was left outside Mukesh Ambani's residence and the Assistant Police Inspector (API) Sachin Vaze matter besides the ongoing probes by National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) into them.
"The NIA and ATS are investigating the matter in depth. The state government is fully cooperating with the NIA... Both their probes are proceeding in the right direction," informed Deshmukh.
He said that after the probe agencies' reports are received, the state government will take appropriate action against the culprits.
However, he declined to answer a query whether the recent developments have resulted in a demoralization of the Mumbai and state police forces which witnessed a major shakeup on Wednesday following the arrest of the Crime Branch API Vaze, and others under the scanner of NIA.
Pawar is expected to return to Mumbai later this evening and may meet Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, amid speculation that there may be some changes in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) cabinet about NCP ministers.
The case of the SUV parked near the Ambani residence was followed by the death of Thane businessman Mansukh Hiren erupted into a huge political row, Pawar has been closely monitoring the situation with senior leaders of the ruling Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress.
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Upping the ante against the MVA, the opposition BJP has demanded that Thackeray should accept moral responsibility in the matter and resign as Chief Minister.
NCP chief Pawar on Monday in a meeting with CM Uddhav Thackeray said that Singh’s immediate removal is needed, citing that he could not pose himself as bigger than the government. While Thackeray on Tuesday had met party leaders Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and Water Resources Minister Jayant Patil (NCP) and Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat (Congress). They made a point that Singh should be transferred at the earliest to avert BJP’s attack claiming that the Maha government was protecting him and also expressed serious concerns that there have been lapses in handling the bomb scare and the Hiran death case by Singh and his team.