A team of Mumbai Police is currently at the residence of Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis to record his statement in connection with his expose of alleged corruption in transfers and postings in the Maharashtra Police department.
The development is taking place in Sagar bungalow in Malabar Hill, the official residence of Leader of Opposition in Assembly.
The police team is led by Assistant Commissioner of Police Nitin Jadhav.
Meanwhile, there were waves of protests across Maharashtra for the action against Fadnavis. The former Chief Minister, who held the Home portfolio for five years, was asked to appear at the Bandra-Kurla Complex cyber police station under section 160 CrPC vis-a-vis a case registered under the Official Secrets Act, 1923 - vis-a-vis the transfers/posting scam.
However, later on Saturday evening, the Mumbai Police communicated to him that there was no need to come and instead the policemen would visit his official home, Sagar at Malabar Hill, to record his statement.
“The police team is with Fadnavis now,” said Lad.
In March, 2021, Fadnavis had exposed the transfers/postings scam during the tenure of the then Home Minister Anil Deshmukh. “Instead of acting on the report over transfers/posting scam, the government has directed the Mumbai Police to register an FIR with the vindictive approach,” Fadnavis said.
With the Budget Session of the Maharashtra Legislature currently under way, the development may be discussed on Monday.
It may be mentioned, the Maharashtra government had earlier told a Mumbai court that Fadnavis is a witness in the case registered over illegal phone tapping that allegedly took place when IPS officer Rashmi Shukla was Commissioner of the State Intelligence Department.
Shukla, an officer of 1988-batch of IPS, is currently on central deputation and posted in Hyderabad as the Additional Director General (South Zone) of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
In August, 2020, Shukla drafted a report indicating cash for transfers and promotions in Maharashtra Police which was forwarded by then director general of police Subodh Jaiswal to the then Additional Chief Secretary (Home) and later Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte to be shown to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. However, the Chief Minister passed on the report to the then Home Minister Anil Deshmukh and no action was taken.
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