Ajit Pawar’s phone call row: NCP MLC Amol withdraws tweet against IPS Anjana Krishna, issues apology

NEW DELHI: NCP legislator Amol Mitkari on Saturday retracted his remarks against IPS officer Anjana Krishna and apologised, a day after sparking controversy with a tweet questioning her educational and caste certificates. The controversy emerged after a video went viral showing deputy chief minister and NCP president Ajit Pawar sternly asking Krishna, sub-divisional police officer of Karmala, to halt action against illegal soil excavation in Solapur. Facing criticism, Ajit Pawar clarified on Friday that he had not intended to interfere but was only trying to de-escalate a tense situation. Mitkari, however, faced sharp criticism for his comments, with NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule and Congress leader Yashomati Thakur slamming him for targeting a woman officer. “This was not my party's position. It is my personal view. I have the highest respect for our police force and the officers who serve honestly. I completely agree with the position of the party's senior leadership,” Mitkari said on Saturday. He added that he was retracting his tweet regarding the Solapur incident and apologising.Amol Mitkari had also written a letter to Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) seeking verification of IPS officer Krishna’s educational and caste documents. The August 31 incident occurred when revenue officials, along with Krishna, reached Kapre Wasti in Solapur to act against illegal excavation of murrum soil. A local NCP worker connected Pawar to Krishna on a phone call, during which she initially failed to recognise his voice. Pawar then switched to a video call and purportedly asked her to stop the action.