New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party’s state unit has written a letter to Union home minister Amit Shah demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe against deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and transport minister Anil Parab for extortion and corruption allegations leveled by former police officer SachinVaze. The letter written by state unit chief ChandrakantPatil has stated that the law and order in the state have collapsed because of the “obvious reason of political revenge and blatant misuse of the political power”.The letter, written a week after the BJP’s state unit passed a resolution in its executive committee meeting with the demand to the Centre for action against the two ministers, has urged to initiate necessary legal action to protect the interest of law-abiding citizens. “In a handwritten letter submitted to designated NIA court, SachinVaze on April 3rd has alleged that AjitPawar through one DarshanGhodawat asked him to collect ₹100 crores from illegal gutkha sellers and manufacturers. Vaze has also said that Ghodawat induced him to collect ₹100 crores illegally. He has also said that Parab asked him to collect a sum from Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation contractors by threatening them against anonymous complaints. Parab also asked Vaze to collect ₹2 crores from about 50 sub-contractors. He also asked Vaze to initiate an inquiry against SaifeeBurhaniUpliftment Trust and collect ₹50 crores from it,” the letter has stated.

Vaze, who is a prime accused in the Antilia explosives scare and MansukhHiran death case, was arrested by National Investigation Agency in March this year. He was later terminated from the Mumbai police force where he served as an assistant police inspector.

The letter states that the Bombay High Court has directed CBI to conduct a probe against former home minister Anil Deshmukh for similar allegations by former Mumbai police commissioner ParamBir Singh. “In the light of the specific allegations by Vaze against Pawar and Parab, a detailed inquiry must be conducted by CBI against the ministers and Ghodawat. The allegations are made before a judicial officer and as such, it is just and necessary to conduct a detailed inquiry by the CBI and statements of the persons concerned be recorded. If the disclosure Vaze is not dealt with in accordance with the law, the law-abiding people will lose faith in the legal system,” it further reads.