New Delhi: NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar on Monday refuted allegations made by former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh against state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh.

Sharad Pawar talking to media persons in Delhi said Anil Deshmukh was in hospital amid testing positive for coronavirus during the period Param Bir Singh claimed Deshmukh met police officer Sachin Vaze, who has been arrested by the NIA in the Antilia bomb scare probe.

Pawar said, "If you see the Param Bir Singh's letter, he mentions that in mid-February he was informed by some officers that they received instructions from Home Minister. However, from February 5-15, Deshmukh was admitted in the hospital due to COVID. From February 15-27, he was in quarantine."

Pawar also stated that Deshmukh will not resign despite a clamour by the Opposition BJP.

Meanwhile, reacting to Pawar's remarks, Former CM and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis shared Anil Deshmukh's tweet dated February 15 which he purportedly addressed a press conference.

In an eight-page letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Mumbai's top cop had alleged that Home Minister had asked Sachin Vaze to collect Rs 100 crore every month. Deshmukh on other hand had denied these allegations and threatened to file a defamation suit against Singh.

Meanwhile, Param Bir Singh on Monday who took charge as the Director General (DG) of Maharashtra Home Guard Param Bir Singh has moved the Supreme Court seeking a probe into the allegations made by him against Anil Deshmukh.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi will be appearing Singh once the matter is listed for hearing. Singh has also sought a CBI investigation into the report submitted by Rashmi Shukla, which alleged wrongdoings in transfers and postings of police officers.