MUMBAI: Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Friday said that the state government will probe Principal Secretary Amitabh Gupta's role in allowing DHFL promoters Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan to travel despite the ongoing lockdown.
He said that Additional Chief Secretary Manoj Saunik will conduct the probe. Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan are accused in Yes Bank and DHFL fraud cases.
In a video statement, Deshmukh said that action will be taken against the Wadhawans under sections 188, 269, 270, 34 of the IPC, section 51(b) of the Disaster Management Act and section 11 of the COVID-19 regulations.
The home minister lashed out at the BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, who demanded his resignation over the incident. Deshmukh said the central government had to powers to dismiss an IPS officer. Gupta, who is special principal secretary in the state home department, is a senior IPS officer.
Earlier in the day, the state government sent Gupta on compulsory leave after it came to light that he had allegedly allowed passage to the Wadhawan family to Mahableshwar during the ongoing lockdown. Deshmukh had tweetedthat as per the discussions with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Gupta was sent on compulsory leave with immediate effect.