After a marathon meeting at NCP supremo Sharad Pawar's 6 Janpath residence here, NCP's Maharashtra unit President Jayant Patil said: "There is no question of Anil Deshmukh's resignation. Maharashtra ATS and the NIA are investigating both Antilia bomb scare and Mansukh Hiren murder cases and everyone believe that the culprit will be punished soon.

 

"We have full faith in the ATS and NIA investigation and believe that the main culprit will be booked... the Maharashtra government is cooperating in the investigation."

 

Senior NCP leader and former Union Minister Praful Patel, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Patil, and Pawar's daughter and MP Supriya Sule were present in the meeting.

 

It is also learnt that senior Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath and Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut also visited Pawar's house.

 

Earlier addressing a press conference, Sharad Pawar said: "This is a really important and sensitive case. An in-depth enquiry should be conducted by an officer or an individual who enjoys utmost respect of the police administration and the public at large."

 

He suggested that former Maharashtra police chief and former Mumbai Police Commissioner, Julio Francis Ribeiro should be assigned to probe the issue.

 

"He (Ribeiro) has a great reputation and if he accepts this responsibility then the truth will definitely come to the fore and the public at large will start believing more in the police and in the government, in particular," Pawar said.

 

Former Mumbai Police chief Param Bir Singh has set off a major row on Saturday when he alleged that Deshmukh had asked suspended Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Vaze, who has been arrested in the SUV case and is in NIA custody, to collect Rs 100 crore from Mumbai's restaurants, bars and hookah bars.