Vilasrao stopped police from doing its job,Maha govt to pay

The development comes days after Supreme Court Judge A K Ganguly expressed “shock” at Deshmukh’s continuation as a union minister despite the court’s action.

Ganguly had said at a seminar in Mumbai on Saturday that it was “sad and shocking to see how the government allows and appreciates such ministers. Not only that,it also gives them a Cabinet post. It is not a dignified act and I would call it a shameless act.”

Vilasrao Deshmukh faced severe criticism from the Supreme Court bench of Justice Ganguly and Justice G S Singhvi for shielding a Congress MLA’s family from complaints on money lending by poor farmers during his tenure as chief minister.

The Supreme Court had in its December 14 judgement termed Deshmukh’s behaviour as “anachronistic and incongruous” and had enhanced to Rs 10 lakh the fine of Rs 25,000 imposed by the Bombay high court on the Maharashtra government.

The court had said the action of Deshmukh was condemnable as he acted beyond “all legal norms” for “political consideration” despite Vidharbha region having the dubious distinction of witnessing the largest number of farmers’ suicides.