The Maharashtra government has sought an explanation from Mumbai Police Commissioner >Rakesh Maria on his meeting with the former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi in London last July.
On Saturday, Mr. Maria said in a statement that he had met Mr. Modi during an official tour, but only at the insistence of his counsel. He was seeking the Mumbai Police’s help to handle a threat to him and his family in London, Mr. Maria said. The meeting lasted 15-20 minutes. A day later, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the government asked Mr. Maria to “provide information officially to the government as to what he has said in the media”.
Mr. Maria said that on his return to India, he informed the then Home Minister, R.R. Patil, of his meeting and he also “maintained the requisite confidential record” of the interaction. The Anti-Extortion Cell of the Mumbai Police was given in writing the details of the meeting.
Now, the government is investigating the reasons that “compelled” Mr. Maria to meet the businessman. Minister of State for Home Ranjit Patil said that after Mr. Maria’s return from abroad, he submitted a letter to the Home Ministry, spelling out what had transpired at the meeting.“We will have to go through the record. Thereafter, we will know what compelled Mr. Maria to meet Mr. Modi and what transpired at the meeting,” Mr. Patil said.
