Maharashtra Minister of State for Home Kripa Shankar Singh on Monday came under attack from opposition in the state legislative council over his alleged links with an arms supplier. Opposition members were on their feet in the upper house, charging that one Lal Khan Amir Khan Sahil, a Mumbai gangster arrested by police recently, had links with Singh and some letterheads belonging to Singh and Congress leader Murli Deora were recovered from the gangster's possession.
Raising the issue through a point of propriety, leader of opposition Nitin Gadkari demanded a statement and chairman N S Pharande asked the Minister of State for Home Manikrao Thakre, present in the house, to respond. Later, Thakre informed the house that Sahil was helping a central investigation agency in some way and hence on their recommendation, he was provided police protection. But in a recent killing of another gangster in Mumbai, investigations indicated that Sahil had supplied arms.
Thakre said police withdrew security provided to Sahil on recommendations of the central agency. But this did not satisfy the opposition who continued their protests in the house. Singh was incidentally not present today in either house.
Last week, the opposition in the assembly had accused the minister of shielding top Al-Qaeda militant Mohammad Afroze, arrested by Mumbai police on December 3.
Bureau Report