Prithviraj Chavan says he was unaware of Rakesh Maria-Lalit Modi meet

MUMBAI: Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan today said he was not aware of the visit of Mumbai police Commissioner Rakesh Maria to London and his meeting with former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi last year.

"I was not aware of Maria's visit to London and his meeting with Lalit Modi. Such trips are cleared at the level of Home Minister. I wasn't briefed about it," Chavan, who was the Chief Minister last year told PTI.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, on Sunday asked Maria to provide "information" on his statement regarding his meeting with the tainted ex-IPL boss Lalit Modi.

A fresh controversy had broken out last week in the Lalit Modi episode after Maria admitted that he had met Modi in London in 2014 at the insistence of the latter's lawyer.

Maria came out with a statement on the issue after news channels flashed a photo of the former IPL commissioner and the Mumbai Police Chief.

During the meeting that lasted 15 to 20 minutes, Lalit Modi sought the help of Mumbai police in view of "threat" to his life by the underworld in London, Maria said, adding, he apprised the then Home Minister about the meeting soon after returning from London.