The former Maharashtra Chief Minister, Prithviraj Chavan, on Monday alleged that the meeting between Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria and the former IPL commissioner, Lalit Modi, in London was arranged by an influential political leader.
“I am unable to tell you the exact outcome of the meeting, but I am sure the meeting was arranged by an influential political person,” he said. However, he maintained that he could not pinpoint the person, and it was necessary to find out.
Meanwhile, Mr. Maria submitted a report on his meeting with Mr. Modi to the Maharashtra government, as directed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
According to sources in the Home Ministry, Mr. Maria said in the report that he had met Mr. Modi through his lawyer, and there was no involvement of anyone else.
Mr. Chavan, who was the Chief Minister when the meeting took place, said Mr. Maria did not inform him of the meeting. “Yes, it is unusual for him to go and meet Lalit Modi. He did it without my knowledge,” he said. “More than the outcome of the meeting, it is important to find out who arranged it.”
Ridiculing Mr. Maria’s claim that he did not remember the lawyer who arranged the meeting, Mr. Chavan said it was impossible that an officer like Mr. Maria, who had an extremely sharp memory, did not remember the details of such an important meeting.
