Antilia bomb case: Sharad Pawar meets CM, pressure on state home minister

The ruling coalition in Maharashtra has several faces in the two days following the arrest of Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Waze by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the Antilia bomb scandal case. On Monday, NCP chief Sharad Pawar met Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray at Varsha, the official residence of the Shiv Sena president in Mumbai. Army sources said the two discussed the arrest of Waze and the police handling of the bomb blast case outside Mukesh Ambani’s residence. Sources said that the way the whole matter has been handled by Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh and Home Minister Anil Deshmukh is causing uneasiness.

A senior army leader said that Pawar and Thackeray agreed that the Antilia case was intimidating and that the death of Mansukh Hiran from Thane brought a lot of light to the Mumbai Police and adversely affected the image of the government.

Discussion on Deshmukh’s future

Sources said that it was revealed in the meeting that changing the commissioner could indicate accountability and help the government regain some lost land. Apart from this, Thackeray and Pawar have also gone on to discuss the future of NCP’s Deshmukh stating that the conduct of Mumbai Police had also emphasized that he was not in effective control over his department or police force. The two leaders are said on the same page that a change in home portfolio may also be required. However, the Shiv Sena leader said that nothing has been decided yet.

Congress’s silence in the matter

The NIA arrested Wage on Saturday night in connection with his investigation into the recovery of a Scorpio vehicle carrying 20 gelatin sticks outside Antilia in South Mumbai on 25 February. This arrest led the opposition BJP to attack the Thackeray-led Vikas Aghadi government, including the NCP and the Congress.

The military continued to defend Wedge, who joined the party during suspension in a separate case in 2008, but did not renew his membership until later. The NCP has not spoken publicly on the issue while the Congress has maintained silence.

Sources said Pawar’s meeting with Thackeray indicated uneasiness within the coalition regarding Vege’s arrest, and his suspected role in the bomb scare case. Questions are being raised within the Army top brass on the manner in which the Commissioner of Police has misquoted the case. “Wedge was reporting directly to him. How did the police commissioner allow this to happen.

Doubts even within the government and the army

Information from the call records of former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis that showed the wedge was in contact with Mansukh Deer, who was using the Scorpio before it was reported stolen and found parked outside the Ambani residence, the government and the army. There was doubt within. The Shiv Sena leader said that there is no denying the role of top officials in handing over documents to the BJP leader.

Pawar also held a separate meeting of his party’s ministers to review his work. “There is no question of changing the home minister of the state. Irrigation minister and NCP state president Jayant Patil told reporters, “Do not make rumors.”

Shiv Sena mouthpiece

Meanwhile, the army mouthpiece remained stable in support of Saamana Wedge. In an editorial, the newspaper said that Veg was on the hit-list of the BJP and the Center as he arrested journalist Arnab Goswami and put him behind bars.

It is surprising that the NIA comes to Mumbai to investigate the case of explosives found near Antilia, when the bravery and capabilities of the Maharashtra Police are being acknowledged worldwide. It is clear that the ensuing NIA in this way is meant to organize the score on past events. Waze and his team arrested the hypocritical Goswami and exposed the TRP scam. In return, the Center has arrested Waze. The case file is closed here, ”the editorial said.