NCP's Dilip Walse Patil appointed new Home Minister of Maharashtra, replaces Anil Deshmukh

NCP leader Dilip Walse Patil has been named as the new home minister of Maharashtra after chief minister Uddhav Thackeray accepted NCP leader Anil Deshmukh's resignation.

Patil's Labour Department charge has been given to Hasan Mushrif as an additional charge and the state Excise Department will be looked after by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar.

Deshmukh, who is facing allegations of corruption levelled by former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh, had tendered his resignation to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday. 

The developments come after Bombay High Court on Monday ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to start a preliminary inquiry within 15 days into corruption allegations against Deshmukh by the former Mumbai Police Commissioner.

The court also directed the agency to register an FIR if any cognizable offence is found. In his plea, Param Bir Singh repeated the graft allegations that he had made against Deshmukh in a letter to Uddhav Thackeray, and also accused the Maharashtra Deshmukh of interfering in police investigations and involving in severe "malpractices".

Singh had earlier written a letter to Thackeray alleging that Deshmukh had indulged in "malpractices" and asked suspended Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Waze to collect Rs 100 crores every month.