Mumbai Police Chief Rakesh Maria submits report to Maharashtra Home Secretary on his meeting with Lalit Modi

Mumbai: Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria has on Monday submitted his explanation on meeting former Indian Premier League (IPL) commissioner Lalit Modi in London last year to Maharashtra Home Secretary.

Essentially this is Maria setting the record straight after former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said he had no clue that the two had met. Maharashtra Police sources have told CNN-IBN that Maria had written to the anti-extortion cell soon after he returned from London. The Anti-extortion cell also inquired about the underworld threats allegedly received by Lalit Modi. Maria in his report to the Maharashtra Home Secretary has also clarified saying that he was approached by Modi's lawyer.

This report comes soon after Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis sought a report from Maria over his meeting with Lalit Modi, following which the Mumbai Police chief said that he would submit a report soon.

"We have asked Rakesh Maria to give information officially to the government on what he has said in the media. Based on his information, we will decide further course of action," said Fadnavis.

Asked if a time frame has been laid down for Maria to give the information, the CM said he has been given a day's time. On whether Maria will be asked to step down temporarily until the inquiry against him is conducted, Fadnavis said, "First let the information come to us."

Meanwhile, Maharashtra's Minister of State for Home Ranjit Patil said that repeated requests from Lalit Modi cannot be an "excuse" to meet him and an inquiry will be conducted into what "compelled" Maria to meet Modi. "As far as what we know till now, on his repeated insistence, Maria met Lalit Modi in London. Now we will have to go through records and examine that what compelled Maria to meet him despite knowing there is so much criticism surrounding him. Insistence cannot be an excuse," Patil said.

Asked if there could be a political reason behind Maria's meet with Modi, since the Police Commissioner in his letter to the media stated that he had informed the then state Home Minister about his meet, Patil said, "It is on record that Maria informed the then Home Minister about his meet. May be the Home Minister got convinced of his reasons.