Ajit Pawar criticises Maharashtra Police for rising crime rate in Pune

Maharashtra: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has expressed grave concern over the increasing crime rates in Pune. Speaking to the media, Pawar questioned the senior police officers' ability to control the situation despite the ample resources available.

"The Maharashtra CM and I have taken cognisance as I represent this part of the state," Pawar said, emphasising that the state government is fully aware of the deteriorating law and order situation. He stressed that there will be no room for political interference in the matter.

"We don't allow any political interference in such things," he added.

Pawar pointed out that despite the deployment of substantial infrastructure, manpower, and facilities, including new offices for the Superintendent of Police (SP) and Commissioner of Police (CP) in Pimpri Chinchwad, crime rates continue to rise.

"Despite so much freedom and a lot of facilities, which include infrastructure, man force, housings, new offices in Pimpri Chinchwad, SP office and CP office... still senior police officers failing to control the crime," Pawar remarked.

"If they are unable to handle it, they should tell us that it is not in their hand then we would bring better officers here to control this menace," he said.

Pawar assured that action would be taken to address the issue. "I will be taking a review of it with senior officials today," he confirmed, indicating a possible overhaul in the police administration if necessary.

Zeeshan expressed dissatisfaction over probe in Baba Siddique murder case 

Meanwhile, After meeting with Joint Commissioner of Crime Branch of Mumbai Police Lakhmi Gautam, Nationalist Congress Party leader and son of former MLA and NCP leader Baba Siddique, Zeeshan Siddique on Thursday (January 9) expressed dissatisfaction over the investigation in his father's murder and said that the law and order have been made a joke in Mumbai.

"I had given the names of those whom I suspect in my statement. When I asked if all of them had been questioned, I was told that they had not been questioned. When I asked the police why the statements of those builders were not recorded, they did not give me a satisfactory answer. Seeing this, I feel that law and order are being made a joke in Mumbai. This is not a fair investigation, for I will now meet our leader and Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Ajit Pawar. I will also meet Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who was my father's friend. I hope I will get justice. I will take every possible step that I feel is right to get justice," said Zeeshan Siddiqui while speaking to the media.

"After my father was killed, it was said that Bishnoi had done it. Why was this narrative set? I am not denying this but if it has been done by the Bishnoi gang, then the accused must be brought back to India. This is condemnable," he added.

Notably, Baba Siddique was an NCP leader who was shot dead by three assailants near his son, MLA Zeeshan Siddique's, office in Mumbai's Nirmal Nagar on October 12.