New Delhi, Mar 20 (IANS): Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said on Saturday that the threads of the investigation being carried out against Sachin Vaze in the SUV case are leading to former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh.

While rejecting Singh's allegations that the Home Minister sought extortion money, Deshmukh alleged that Singh is levelling false allegations against him to save himself.

In an important twist, Deshmukh said that the threads of the investigation into the SUV case and the case related to the death of Mansukh Hiran are leading to Param Bir Singh.

The SUV case refers to the explosives-laden Scorpio that was found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's residence in Mumbai last month. Thane-based businessman Mansukh Hiran, who was in possession of the Scorpio, was found dead under mysterious circumstances on March 5.

Deshmukh added that Vaze's involvement in the two cases is becoming clearer and the threads are leading to Singh.

"The former Commissioner of Police, Param Bir Singh, has made false allegations in order to save himself as the involvement of Sachin Vaze in the Mukesh Ambani and Mansukh Hiran's case is becoming clearer from the investigation carried out so far and the threads are leading to Singh as well," Deshmukh said.

In a sensational twist to the SUV case, Param Bir Singh on Saturday hit out at Deshmukh by virtually alleging that the minister wanted his team member, arrested cop Sachin Vaze, to 'collect' Rs 100 crore per month from bars and hookah parlours.

Taking strong umbrage at Deshmukh's remarks that Singh's transfer as Commandant-General of Maharashtra Home Guards was not for administrative purposes but for "unpardonable lapses" by his team, the ex-Mumbai top cop shot off an eight-page missive to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, saying he was made a "scapegoat" for "extraneous and vindictive reasons".