It took three years, but the lies of Maharashtra's former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma have finally been nailed.

Deshmukh took Varma on a tour of the terror-hit Taj and Oberoi hotels in the aftermath of the 26/ 11 attack. It was alleged that it was an insensitive recce for a film, but Varma denied that he was planning a movie on 26/ 11.

The cat is out of the bag now, with Varma announcing that he is making a film on the attack.

On December 30, 2008, then CM Deshmukh visited the Taj a day after it was cleared of the Pakistani terrorists. He was accompanied by his actor son Riteish and Varma, who was given a guided tour of the hotel. The filmmaker was also explained at length about where the terrorists had been holed up for four days and how they had exchanged gunfire with the security forces.

The visit triggered a huge public outcry since it was widely believed that Varma had tagged along with Deshmukh to do the groundwork for his film.

Deshmukh and Varma steadfastly denied that the visit was in connection with a film project.

Deshmukh then said Varma's visit to the Taj was a "coincidence". The explanation was not accepted because even after the terrorists were killed, both the hotels were out of bounds for commoners, including Varma. He could enter simply because he was with the CM's son who again had no business being there.

"I have not even been introduced to the CM; it was just that I was with Riteish at that time. I have no intention of making a film on this issue," Varma had claimed.

Maharashtra BJP leader Vinod Tawde was scathing in his criticism of both Deshmukh and Varma. "Everyone knew all along that Varma's visit to the Taj was for a film shoot. It is shocking that he was thinking of making a film and earning money just a day after so many lives were lost," Tawde said.