Maha to conduct parallel SIT probe in Elgar case: Minister

MUMBAI: The Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which has been spoiling for a fight with the Centre, on Monday said that the Maharashtra government would form a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the Elgar Parishad case. In January, the Centre had transferred the probe to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), triggering a row with the state government.

The Elgar Parishad probe has become a bone of contention between the Centre and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising Maharashtra government’s coalition partners -- the NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena.

Last week, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray gave his nod to handover the investigation, a move criticised by the NCP, the second-largest constituent of the MVA government . The NCP’S Anil Deshmukh holds the home ministry portfolio. Nawab Malik, Maharashtra’s minority affairs minister and NCP spokesperson, said the probe would be conducted under the provisions of Section 10 of the NIA Act . “There is nothing wrong in the CM’S decision to hand over the case because going by the NIA Act it is binding on the state. But Section 10 of the Act also empowers the state to hold a parallel investigation,” Malik said. “Pawar saheb has asked the home minister to act following the provisions. The home minister will now appoint an SIT to probe the case,” he added.

Home minister Anil Deshmukh said he would seek legal opinion on the setting up of an SIT. Although it has denied bail to the accused in the Elgar Parishad case, the Supreme Court (SC) had observed that the case needs to be thoroughly investigated, Malik said.