Deshmukh backs out of probe offer

By Mahesh Vijapurkar

MUMBAI, APRIL 18. The Maharashtra Chief Minister, Mr. Vilasrao Deshmukh who offered last week amid rhetorical flourishes to have the Leader of Opposition, Mr. Narayan Rane head a probe against his decision to have a cooperative spinning mill today adroitly backed out using technicalities. Neither did he agree to a probe by the CBI into allegations that Mr. Chagan Bhujbal, Deputy Chief Minister, had interfered to enable release of two persons from provisions of COFEPOSA.

Mr. Bhujbal, who maintains he does not interfere but has delegated decisions to a quasi-judicial authorities in matters of COFEPOSA, had offered, to offer himself to CBI probe, later changed his approach on the premise that he was being trapped by conspiracies by the Opposition.

But in a bid to counter Mr. Bhujbal's charge that not once but several times - at one count, 177 times - Mr. Gopinath Munde, the predecessor Deputy Minister had interfered in CPFEPOSA releases in four and half years, Mr. Munde offered, in writing yesterday to face a probe by the CBI. He sent a letter to Mr. Deshmukh but Mr. Deshmukh did not bite. There was lot of clamour from the Opposition and Mr. Rane even accused the Chief Minister of ``going back on a promise.'' Mr. Deshmukh maintained his sang froid.

Mr. Deshmukh's refusal to have a probe against himself by Mr. Rane was on the following grounds : Mr. Rane had put conditions - that it should be under the Commissions's of Inquiry Act - and he cannot be empowered to hold such probes. Mr. Rane, according to Mr. Deshmukh's statement in the legislature today, had made such a demand in a letter to the Speaker, Mr. Arun Gujarathi.

Of course Mr.Deshmukh insisted that ``I am not avoiding'' this probe which he had offered to have done by the Opposition leader but felt that since Mr. Rane himself was under a cloud, following strictures in a case relating to land dereservation in Pune, he felt it would be inappropriate to hand over the probe to such a person.

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