Jalna (Maharashtra), Oct 22 (IANS) Senior Shiv Sena leader and Industries Minister, Uday Samant, on Thursday demanded a thorough, multi-agency investigation, including forensic analysis, a cyber probe, and a Special Investigation Team (SIT), into the viral 32-minute audio clip made public by Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil.
A controversy has erupted in political circles in Maharashtra after Manoj Jarange Patil released an explosive audio clip, alleging a deep-rooted political conspiracy to defame the Maratha agitation and crush his movement.
A startling segment in the audio explicitly claimed: “Jarange Patil ko already 500 crore roopaye pahunch chuke hain, jo Shrikant Shinde ke madhyam se pahunch chuke hain (Rs 500 crore has already reached Manoj Jarange through Shrikant Shinde)”, adding that the “primary personal target remains Devendra Fadnavis and the BJP.”
Addressing a press conference, Minister Samant termed the audio clip a deep-rooted conspiracy designed to tarnish Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s standing within the Maratha community and sow misunderstandings between the Shiv Sena and the BJP.
Minister Samant stressed that the authenticity of the conversations in the audio clip must be verified. He called for a comprehensive probe by the police, cyber cell, forensic science laboratories, and an SIT to uncover whose voices were on the recording, who recorded it, where it took place, and how it reached Manoj Jarange Patil.
Addressing the controversy regarding allegations of a Rs 500 crore financial transaction and claims that Dy CM Eknath Shinde paid the money to manage the protests, Minister Samant noted that Manoj Jarange Patil has already clarified he received no money, and Eknath Shinde has stated his position.
He asserted that instead of bickering over unverified money claims, authorities must unearth the unseen masterminds pulling the strings behind the scenes.
Noting that MP Dr Shrikant Shinde’s name surfaced in the recordings, Minister Samant clarified that he has no connection to the matter whatsoever. He questioned why Dr Shrikant Shinde’s name was dragged into the conversation, demanding an investigation into the intent behind it.
He alleged that elements within or outside were attempting to exploit the situation to create a wedge between the Maratha community and the Shiv Sena, as well as to strain relations between alliance partners Shiv Sena and the BJP.
A Shiv Sena delegation is set to meet Chief Minister Fadnavis to formally press for these enquiries.
Weighing in on the controversy, senior Shiv Sena leader and former minister Ramdas Kadam reacted sharply to the contents of the clip.
He claimed that the individuals purportedly speaking in the leaked audio were associated with the BJP, adding, “What do we have to do with this? The people in the clip belong to the BJP.”
Kadam also highlighted Eknath Shinde’s monumental contribution to delivering justice and legal backing for the Maratha reservation, noting that vital legal strategies for the Maratha community were formulated at their leadership’s initiative.
–IANS
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