Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria has been asked by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to explain his meeting with Lalit Modi in London. Replying to CM, Maria stated that he had (in 2014) already informed in writing to then Home Minister R R Patil and Anti Extortion Cell about the meeting. He further said that please check the records before making him me answerable in public.
The official statements given by Mumbai Police Chief Rakesh Maria should be somewhere in records, why Fadanvis has not prompted his authorities to investigate before asking for an explanation from him?
Meanwhile when asked former Chief Minister of Maharashtra Prithviraj Chavan, he said, “RR Patil was Home Minister and such issues are always reported to Home Minister and not to the Chief Minister. I had no clue of Maria’s visit to London and his meeting with Lalit Modi. Such trips are cleared at the level of Home Minister. I wasn’t briefed about it.”
NCP chief Sharad Pawar has come out openly in support of Mumbai CP Rakesh Maria saying “meeting an Indian abroad cannot be considered ‘Immoral'”
Some senior journalists demand that Devendra Fadanvis should take in to consideration BJP’s argument justifying Vasundhara Raje and Sushma Swaraj helping Lalit Modi on humanitarian ground; both females did not suggest Lalit Modi to surrender before Indian Authorities while CP Maria told Lalit to come to India first and complain to Mumbai police’s anti extortion cell which befits both on legal as well as moral ground.
Here, then Home Minister Mr. R R Patil is not alive to clarify the claims made by Maria, but there should be records with the home department.
Maria came out with a statement on the issue after news channels flashed a photo of the former IPL commissioner and the Mumbai Police Chief. During the meeting that lasted 15 to 20 minutes, Lalit Modi sought the help of Mumbai police in view of “threat” to his life by the underworld in London, Maria said, adding, he apprised the then Home Minister about the meeting soon after returning from London.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra’s Minister of State for Home Ranjit Patil said that repeated requests from Lalit Modi cannot be an “excuse” to meet him and an inquiry will be conducted into what “compelled” Maria to meet Modi. “As far as what we know till now, on his repeated insistence, Maria met Lalit Modi in London. Now we will have to go through records and examine that what compelled Maria to meet him despite knowing there is so much criticism surrounding him. Insistence cannot be an excuse,” Patil said.
Asked if there could be a political reason behind Maria’s meet with Modi, since the Police Commissioner in his letter to the media stated that he had informed the then state Home Minister about his meet, Patil said, “It is on record that Maria informed the then Home Minister about his meet. May be the Home Minister got convinced of his reasons.
Meanwhile, on the controversy Congress come up with it stand. Sachin Sawant, Congress spokesperson said, “This is a very serious matter, whoever helped Lalit Modi should be questioned. If Rakesh Maria says that he informed the ex-Chief Minister then Mr. Prithviraj Chavan has already denies it.”
AAP Leader Ravi Srivastava smelling something fishy in the controversy. He said, “Is it protocol of Mumbai Police Commissioner to meet anybody outside India on advocate’s request. If Lalit Modi have threat then he should come India and seek protection here. Mr. Maria met him inspite of knowing that he is wanted in India and Blue Corner notice has been issue against him.”
