Mumbai: Maharashtra government on August 16 appointed former Supreme Court Judge P B Sawant as a one-man panel to probe allegations of corruption levelled by noted Gandhian Anna Hazare against four Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) ministers even as the latter stuck to his guns of going ahead with the hunger strike until they were dropped from the Cabinet.

Sawant would simultaneously probe allegations levelled by Minister Suresh Dada Jain against Hazare for misusing funds in various trusts floated by him, Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, told reporters at Mantralaya.

Soon after the government's announcement to appoint Sawant to probe the allegations of corruption, Jain, who had also undertaken fast-unto-death along with Hazare, called off his agitation.

Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal personally conveyed the government's decision to Jain at Azad Maidan and urged him to break his fast.

The government's announcement to appoint Sawant as the head of the committee to probe allegations of corruption against Hazare and Jain comes in the wake of both resorting to hunger strike at the historic Azad Maidan. They had made allegations and counter allegations against each other.

Hazare said he was unhappy with the one-member panel to probe the allegations of corruption since it would take ample time particularly in view of the impending Assembly polls in the state. Instead, he demanded two separate commissions of one member each to probe these allegations.

Hazare also demanded promulgation of an ordinance on transfer policy, empowerment of gramsabha and speedy implementation of administrative procedure.

PTI