Sanjay Raut’s attack was to defame me, says Bawankule

Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule has denied allegations made by Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut that he was seen in a casino in Macau. Bawankule claims the photo was taken to defame him and says it is impossible to take such a large amount of money to a foreign country. Raut has defended his actions, saying he tweeted the photo out of humanity.

Two days after Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut targeted him for his purported presence in a casino in Macau, state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Wednesday said it was a deliberate attempt to defame him and hurt his family.

HT Image

“I have reached this stature by hard work and a struggle. I am so busy with the party work that I manage to spend only one day in a month with my family. They (the family) insisted that I stay with them for three days, and hence we planned a trip to Macau. Every hotel there has a casino, and you cannot reach your room without going past the casino. The picture was clicked during that period just to defame me,” he said.

Raut had posted a photograph on X purportedly showing Bawankule in a casino in Macau. “I do not know whose photo it is. Someone told me he was a prominent personality from Maharashtra. Within a span of two-four hours, he spent ₹3.5 crore. It means there is suddenly ‘acche din’ in Maharashtra,” he had told reporters two days ago.

Denying Raut’s allegations, Bawankule said how anyone could take ₹3.5 crore to a foreign country. “Even if you carry ₹1 lakh you are made to go through several rounds of check. Neither do I have any friends there. Therefore, the question of spending such a huge amount does not arise at all.”

To counter Bawankule, Raut on Wednesday said he tweeted only one photograph out of humanity. “Bawankule should teach leaders from his own party, about the pain the families of opposition leaders go through after the attack from those in the ruling alliance. What the leaders from his party do is part of their culture.”