Mumbai Top Cop Rakesh Maria Sees Chief Minister to Defend Lalit Modi Meeting

Mangalore Today News Network

Mumbai, June 23, 2015:  Mumbai’s top cop Rakesh Maria confronts the possibility of being transferred as penalty for a meeting he held last year in London with Lalit Modi, wanted in India to answer charges of corruption, tax evasion and money laundering during his term as chair of the Indian Premier League or IPL. Sources in the Maharashtra government said Mr Maria met with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis last night for a first-hand explanation of the controversial conferral.

Mr Fadnavis has also demanded and received a detailed written report from Mr Maria, who has said in his defense that he had informed then Home Minister RR Patil of his session with Mr Modi.

Sources point out that transferring Mr Maria from his post as Mumbai Police Commissioner will be tricky since Mr Fadnavis’ party, the BJP, has offered voluble support for two senior leaders, Sushma Swaraj and Vasundhara Raje, who also met with Mr Modi in London and provided support for various appeals he made to UK officials about immigration and urgent travel documents at a time when his passport had been revoked by India.

Mr Maria has said that his 20-minute meeting with Mr Modi was organised at the insistence of the entrepreneur’s lawyer to discuss an alleged threat to Mr Modi’s life. The police officer has described as "malicious" reports that the session was orchestrated by Vinod Goenka, a businessman on trial in the telecom scam.

Mr Maria yesterday did not respond directly to questions from NDTV about whether the police force agreed with Mr Modi’s assessment that his life is at risk with recurring death threats from the underworld. Politician and cricket boss Sharad Pawar has told NDTV that there "is some substance" to these apprehensions which Mr Modi shared with him, also at a meeting in London four weeks ago.

 

Courtesy: NDTV