News broke last week of what Mr Maria, the Mumbai Police Commissioner, has since described as a 15-minute meeting held allegedly at Mr Modi’s request. Like Mr Maria, businessman Vinod Goenka, on trial for corruption in the telecom scam that is one of India’s largest financial scandals, has denied reports he organized the senior officer’s meeting with Mr Modi.
Mr Maria has said in his defense that he had informed RR Patil, then the Home Minister of Maharashtra, of the session, where Mr Modi allegedly revealed details of security threats to his family and him in London. “It may be recalled….the Crime Branch under me had foiled an attempt on his life by the Mumbai underworld,” in 2009-10, Mr Maria has said. He added that he informed Mr Modi that he could not help protect him in London, and stressed that it was “imperative” for the entrepreneur to return to Mumbai.
Mr Modi’s seemingly easy access to top officers and politicians while in London has plunged the government into a mammoth controversy. Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj’s intervention last year helped him get urgent travel documents from UK officials last year; Mrs Swaraj has said that her assistance was on humanitarian grounds since Mr Modi wanted to accompany his wife for medical treatment to Portugal. Another top BJP leader, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, filed a document backing his immigration appeal in the UK, Mr Modi has alleged, adding that the politician sought confidentiality for her “secret”affidavit.
Following is the full text of Rakesh Maria’s detailed report:
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