
After the Bombay High Court asked CBI to start a preliminary inquiry within 15 days into corruption allegations of former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh against Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh, he met NCP leader Sharad Pawar and said he doesn't want to remain in the post.
Deshmukh later submitted his resignation to Maharashtra CMUddhav Thackeray.
State minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik said the party has requested the chief minister to accept his resignation.
In his resignation letter to the Maharashtra chief minister, home minister Anil Deshmukh said he doesn't find it morally correct to continue as the home minister after the Bombay High Court's order.
"Deshmukh informed NCP chief Sharad Pawar that it won't be appropriate to remain in the post as CBI will be probing the charges against him," senior party minister Nawab Malik said.
Deshmukh submitted his resignation letter to Thackeray, Malik said. "Singh's allegations are baseless but the party respects the court and hence the minister will quit," Malik said.
"The state government has already ordered a probe by a retired judge into the claims but we respect the judiciary and after the court orders, Deshmukh himself said he doesn't wish to continue," Malik added.
After the resignation, state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil said that there will be many "shocking revelations" in the CBI probe.
"Those who make mistakes should be punished or else democracy won't be strengthened. Many skeletons will tumble out after the 15-day CBI preliminary probe," Patil said.