₹5 crore seized from Pune SUV kicks up storm, MVA targets Shinde over poll funding

A ₹5 crore seizure from an SUV in Pune sparks political controversy, with opposition accusing CM Shinde of funding MLAs amid denials from implicated MLA Patil

MUMBAI: A routine check at a toll plaza in Pune district, which led to the seizure of ₹5 crore from an SUV on Monday night, has kicked up a political storm, giving the Opposition firepower in their campaign against the ruling Mahayuti alliance.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde with state Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar. (ANI Photo) (Sandeep Anandrao Mahankal)

The money was seized from an SUV headed from Mumbai to Satara/Kolhapur. In the eye of the storm is Shahaji Patil, MLA from Sangola (Solapur), with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. Although he has flatly denied it, Shahaji Patil allegedly has close ties with at least one of the men detained with the cash on Monday.

Leading the charge is Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut from the opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA). Raut alleged that chief minister Eknath Shinde has been sending crores of rupees to party MLAs as election expenses. “CM Shinde had planned to send ₹75 crore to each of his MLAs and candidates. ₹15 crore was sent as the first instalment. Police allowed the vehicles transporting ₹10 crore to go through. They were forced to seize ₹5 crore as our party workers reached the spot after they received a tipoff,” he said.

Raut drew attention to Shahaji Patil’s infamous line, “Kay zadi, kay dongar!” (What beautiful trees, what beautiful hills!). Patil had said this in a phone conversation with Rafiq Nadaf more than 2 years ago, describing the lush setting of the hotel in Guwahati where the rebel Shiv Sena MLAs had been sequestered during the split in the party in 2022. Rafiq Nadaf is one of the four men detained on Monday.

Joining the chorus against his rivals was Nationalist Congress Party (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar. He claimed, “There were three vehicles; two were allowed to go through and one was seized at the toll plaza. Each vehicle had five sacks; each sack contained four boxes; each box contained 50 bundles of 100 notes of ₹500. Now just calculate the total!”

Shahaji Patil said he had nothing to do with the money and called it a political conspiracy of the MVA to defame him. “I have no connection with the vehicle and the money seized at the toll plaza. Since we toppled the MVA government, MP Sanjay Raut is targeting us,” said Patil. He claimed Raut was “trying to stir up opposition against me in Sangola, especially after the public’s strong support for our faction after the revolt (in the Shiv Sena)”.

Sanjay Shirsat, spokesperson of the Shinde-led Sena, too said the claims against Patil were baseless. Taking a dig at his rival, he remarked: “I wouldn’t be surprised if the money belonged to Raut!”