India: Anil Deshmukh resigns as Maharashtra Home Minister

Mumbai: Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has resigned from his post, hours after the Bombay High Court asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe the corruption allegations levelled against him by former Mumbai Commissioner of Police Param Bir Singh, a top Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader said here on Monday.

"Soon after the high court directives, Deshmukh met NCP President Sharad Pawa offered to resign to ensure an impartial probe. After the nod, Deshmukh has gone to meet Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to submit his resignation," NCP National Spokesperson and Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik told mediapersons.

The development came shortly after a division bench comprising Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G. S. Kulkarni directed the CBI to conduct a 'preliminary probe' within 15 days into Singh's allegations against Deshmukh.

Following the High Court ruling, a high-level NCP meeting was convened by Pawar in which Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and other senior leaders were present to discuss the ramifications even as the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party clamoured for Deshmukh's resignation.