Mumbai, July 26, 2024 – Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh on Wednesday claimed that an “intermediary” of BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis had asked him to provide affidavits against prominent figures in the then Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, including Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
Allegations by Anil Deshmukh: Deshmukh alleged that a person sent by Fadnavis, who was then in the opposition, met him with affidavits and pressured him to make written allegations against Uddhav Thackeray, his son and then cabinet minister Aaditya Thackeray, then finance minister Ajit Pawar, and then transport minister Anil Parab. “I was told that if I did this, then neither ED nor CBI would come after me. I was pressurised but I clearly said that even if I have to go to jail for life, I will not make false allegations,” Deshmukh claimed.
Deshmukh further alleged that he was asked to falsely accuse Aaditya Thackeray of raping Disha Salian, the ex-manager of the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, and throwing her from a balcony.
Background: Deshmukh stepped down as home minister in April 2021 after then Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh accused him of asking police to collect money from hotel and bar owners in the city.
Support from Sanjay Raut: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut supported Deshmukh’s allegations, claiming that Deshmukh was sent to jail as part of a conspiracy. “Before being sent to jail, Anil Deshmukh was pressurised to name Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, Aaditya Thackeray in some case otherwise ED will be sent after you. Anil Deshmukh told me this in jail two years ago,” Raut said.
Response from Fadnavis: Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis dismissed the allegations as baseless. “Anil Deshmukh should know that his own party leaders have provided me with multiple pieces of audio-visual evidence of his comments about then CM Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, or the controversial police officer Sachin Waze. If false accusations are levelled against me, I will have no choice but to make this evidence public,” Fadnavis warned.
Political Reactions: BJP leader Ram Kadam termed the allegations “objectionable” and questioned the timing. “A leader (Anil Deshmukh) who was jailed for extortion of ₹100 crore, he is now out on bail… he is now making objectionable allegations against Devendra Fadnavis. If you were so clean and you have proof of claims being true why did you not speak up for two years? Are you trying to malign the image of Devendra Fadnavis as the assembly elections are nearing?” Kadam said.
For more updates on this developing story, visit Sarhind Times.
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