Kirit Somaiya files police complaint against Maharashtra CM; Sena says claims false

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kirit Somaiya has filed a police complaint against chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, at the Revdanda police station in Raigad district, for allegedly misusing his position for purchase of 19 houses by his wife Rashmi and Manisha, wife of Shiv Sena legislator Ravindra Waikar, at Alibag

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kirit Somaiya has filed a police complaint against chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, at the Revdanda police station in Raigad district, for allegedly misusing his position for purchase of 19 houses by his wife Rashmi and Manisha, wife of Shiv Sena legislator Ravindra Waikar, at Alibag.

Kirit Somaiya. (Hindustan Times)

Somaiya said he will approach the Bombay high court (HC) if the police failed to register a first information report (FIR) against Thackeray.

The Shiv Sena has called the allegations a pack of lies and said the allegation does not deserve a police complaint.

“There is not a single house on this plot, forget 19 houses. If there is no construction, then how come Somaiya came up with this figure of ₹5.29 crore? How can Uddhavsaheb declare something in his affidavit which is not there in the first place?” questioned Waikar.

Somaiya accused Thackeray of not disclosing the purchase of 19 houses in a 23,500 square feet area, at Korlai village in Alibag, in his election affidavit. “Architect Anvay Naik constructed these houses in 2008-09. These houses were purchased from Naik in March 2014. These were transferred in Rashmi’s and Manisha’s name only on November 12, 2020. That means they were benami properties for six years. This is against the law,” said Somaiya.

“This clearly shows that Thackeray, as the head of state, played an important role in facilitating this dubious deal,” he added.

Somaiya had complained about Thackeray to the Election Commission and the income tax department.

Naik had died by suicide in 2018 and the case was reopened in November 2020, in which journalist Arnab Goswami was arrested for abetment of suicide. “Since Thackeray had dealt with Naik, even he should also be investigated in this suicide case by the police,” demanded Somaiya.

Waikar, whose wife Manisha is the joint owner of this plot, said that even the collector has surveyed the plot and found no construction at all. “All that is there, is just a dilapidated watchman’s house, three wells and a cowshed which were already present when we purchased the plot,” said Waikar.

Waikar said this does not merit a police complaint in the first place. “This is a simple real estate transaction and we have paid stamp duty, all the taxes and have not caused any loss to the state exchequer. Forget FIR, this does not even qualify for a simple police complaint,” said Waikar.