Reacting to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar's remarks defending Former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh -- who was remanded to Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody till November 15 in connection with an alleged money laundering case -- BJP leader Kirit Somaiya today said that 'scamsters' shall not be spared, further assuring that they shall 'land in jail'.
Mr Somaiya while speaking to ANI today said, "Who is he threatening, the Supreme Court, the Bombay High Court, ED or BJP? You gave this kind of threat to us in the '90s through Dawood".
Stating that the Centre unearthed 24 'scams' in Maharashtra, the BJP leader asserted that the government is going to bring to the fore more such scams in the state.
"We will not spare scamsters. Uddhav Thackeray's three ministers are in jail. Their police commissioner Param Bir Singh is absconding. We have opened 24 scams and 18 are being probed. If you have guts then put an end to scams," Mr Somaiya further said on the arrest of Deshmukh.
"We are going to open more and more scams. we will make sure that the scamsters land in jail," he added.
The BJP leader's remarks came after earlier today Mr Pawar while speaking on Deshmukh's arrest said, "Former Mumbai CP (Param Bir Singh), after making allegations against him (former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh) has gone absconding and not coming forward to prove them. You (BJP) put Anil Deshmukh in jail, you'll pay the price for whatever you did to him".
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court refused to entertain a plea of former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh seeking direction to the investigating agencies to place the records of preliminary inquiry for court's examination.
However, the Supreme Court has allowed Deshmukh to raise his grievance before an appropriate court.
The ED arrested Anil Deshmukh on the night of November 1, in connection with extortion and money laundering allegations levelled against him by the former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh.
Param Bir Singh had alleged that Anil Deshmukh was involved in several wrongdoings, including asking dismissed Mumbai police officer Sachin Waze to collect Rs 100 crore from bars and restaurants in Mumbai.
Earlier on November 10, a non-bailable warrant was issued against former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh by a city magistrate court in connection with extortion cases registered against him.
A case of extortion was registered on July 23 against Param Bir Singh, Sachin Waze and others at Goregaon Police Station, whose investigation was handed over to the Mumbai Crime Branch. It was the second case of extortion in which Param Bir Singh has been named.
Earlier, NCP leader Nawab Malik alleged that Param Bir Singh is absconding and his whereabouts are unknown.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
