Ajit Pawar ‘reprimands’ IPS officer for taking action against illegal mining

In the video which has now gone viral, Pawar purportedly spoke to Anjana Krishna, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Karmala, from the phone of an NCP worker. However, the Indian Police Service (IPS) officer doesn’t recognise his voice.

Pawar is heard asking her to stop action against illegal excavation of murrum, which is widely used as a sub-base and filling material for road construction.

According to the video clip, Krishna is heard saying she could not figure out that the Deputy CM was talking to her. Pawar then asks if she recognises his face.

In the video, Ajit Pawar is heard saying, “I am the Deputy Chief Minister speaking to you… I order you to stop the action… Go and tell your Dr Shridhar (a senior official) that the Deputy CM has ordered for the action to be stopped.”

In response when the IPS officer asked the Deputy CM to call her on her cell phone, this angered Ajit Pawar. He then said, “Ek minute, ek minute main tere upar action lunga (One minute … I will take action against you).”

Ajit said, “I myself am talking to you. And you are telling me to directly call you. You don’t understand this much. Can you see me (on video call)? I will give you my number… Can you recognise my face? How can you dare to speak to me like this? Give me your number, I will directly call you,” he said.

“Ajit Pawar is known for his straight talk and never supports any illegal activity. He perhaps meant to stop the action briefly just to defuse the situation,” said Tatkare.

NCP spokesperson Anand Paranjape said, “When an officer is asking a question, who is Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar? Then this is wrong. Ajit Pawar only told her to stop the action and give the instructions to the tehsildar.”
Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sushma Andhare said, “It does seem DCM is a dedicated man.. It seems DCM means defaulters, cheaters management. An IPS officer is being prevented from doing her duty, she is being threatened, goons are being protected.”

Vijay Kumbhar, vice president of AAP, Maharashtra, said, “This is misuse of power. When an officer is taking action against wrong doers, she is being threatened and asked to stop the action. Is this the reason the ministers want officers of their choice in particular cities and talukas?”

Kumbhar said when the IPS officer went to the spot where the illegal excavation was taking place, the people doing so started arguing with the police. “As per the video, they called Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. And then handed over the call to Krishna. She spoke to the man on the other end. The man claimed to be Ajit Pawar who said the action should be stopped.”

The video shows Krishna answering the call. “She tried to ask who was she was speaking to…To which the man on the call said, I’m Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Don’t you recognise me? Give me your number, I’ll video call you…. You don’t recognise my voice?”