Issue of ex-Mumbai top cop's letter now over for MVA: Sanjay Raut
Mumbai: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday said the controversy surrounding former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh's allegation of corruption against Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh is now over for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in the state.
He made the statement while speaking to reporters in New Delhi.
"The issue of that letter (written by Singh) is now over for the MVA government. Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has also welcomed any inquiry into this matter," Raut said.
"Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Anil Deshmukh were of the opinion that an inquiry be set up to probe the claims made by Singh in the letter. As a retired judge would be monitoring the inquiry, there is no need for removing Deshmukh from his post," he said adding there is no precedent for it.
It would be clear who tried to malign the image of the state, the Shiv Sena MP said.
Singh had sent an eight-page letter to Thackeray on March 20, claiming that Deshmukh wanted police officers to collect Rs 100 crore monthly from bars and hotels. However, the minister had refuted the allegation.
Raut also criticised Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari for not taking any decision on the names of 12 candidates recommended by the state cabinet for their nomination to the Legislative Council from his quota.
"Is the governor doing PhD on those 12 candidates? Does he want to achieve a record of sitting on the names for maximum number of days? He is not respecting the constitutionally-recommended names of 12 candidates," he said.
Reacting to a query related to a Maharashtra BJP delegation meeting the governor on Wednesday, the Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha member said, "The opposition in Maharashtra should respect their post and duty. The opposition leader should act seriously, otherwise people will call them fools. They would become a laughing stock."
The BJP delegation led by Devendra Fadnavis met the governor on Wednesday and submitted a memorandum, urging him to seek a "status report" from the state chief secretary on the law and order situation in the state.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
