Was asked to sign affidavits against Thackerays, Sharad Pawar to avoid trouble: Anil Deshmukh

Mumbai: Former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh on Wednesday alleged that an `intermediary’ of BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis had asked him to provide affidavits against important figures in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government to avoid getting embroiled in litigation himself, an allegation Fadnavis denied.

Deshmukh, an NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader, stepped down as home minister in April 2021 after then Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh accused him of asking police to collect money from hotel and bar owners in the city.

Speaking to news channels, the NCP (SP) leader said that a person allegedly sent by Fadnavis (who was then in opposition) met him, carrying with him affidavits implicating then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, his son and cabinet minister Aaditya Thackeray, then finance Minister Ajit Pawar and then transport minister Anil Parab.

Deshmukh should sign the affidavits to avoid potential litigation against himself, the man told him, but he refused to oblige, the former minister claimed.

Reacting to the allegation, deputy Chief Minister Fadnavis, who also holds the home portfolio, said it was baseless.

“Anil Deshmukh should know that his own party leaders have provided me with multiple pieces of audio-visual evidence of his comments about then CM Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, or the controversial police officer Sachin Waze. If false accusations are levelled against me, I will have no choice but to make this evidence public,” Fadnavis said elsewhere.

Deshmukh was not discharged in the case where he was accused of asking police officials to collect Rs 100 crore, but he was only out on bail, the BJP leader further said.