Shivanandan had made the statement in Aurangabad on Thursday.

Speaking to the media on Saturday, Patil said police raids against the mafia followed after Manmad Additional Collector Yeshwant Sonawane was burned alive in Nashik district last month. “But it was only supportive,” he said.

Patil pointed out that the power to take action against the adulterators of oil and the sand mafia continues to be with the revenue department, and not the police.

The police took action against the mafia with the help of the revenue department and this was only to contain the media furor. “It’s true what Shivanandan stated,” Patil said.

“Various departments have issued orders to the police to not to carry out any direct action against the adulterators. The police only need to willingly help the departments in the raids against the mafia,” he added.

Asked if Mohammed Ajmal Amir Qasab, the 26/11 Mumbai attacks lone surviving Pakistani terrorist, would be shifted from the high security Arthur Road prison to another prison in the state, he said,  “A decision will be taken next week.”

The home minister also dismissed media reports that Ajit Parasnis and Arup Patnaik were set to be the next state Director General of Police (DGP) and Mumbai Commissioner of Police respectively, adding a decision will be made only after discussions with Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan.

In another development, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) suspended Dilip Omkar Wagh, party legislator from Pachora constituency in Jalgaon district. Wagh has been booked for raping a woman at a government rest house in Nashik. The suspension of the legislator was announced by state NCP President Madhukar Pichad. Though a case of rape has been registered, the police have not yet arrested Wagh and his personal assistant Mahesh Mali, the co-accused in the case.