Two leaders of MVA in trouble, one out of jail

Two MVA leaders face charges, brewing trouble ahead of Maharashtra elections: Nitin Deshmukh for disproportionate assets and Babajani Durrani for abetment to suicide.

MUMBAI: The last 24 hours saw two leaders associated with the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) finding themselves in trouble over charges of disproportionate assets and abetment to suicide, brewing trouble for the opposition alliance in the areas of influence of these leaders ahead of the assembly elections.

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Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA from Balapur constituency in Akola district, Nitin Deshmukh, who was facing an inquiry from the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) was targeted by the state government again. Deshmukh had returned to the Thackeray camp after going to Guwahati with the rebel Eknath Shinde group. After the formation of a government with Eknath Shinde as chief minister, a complaint was filed against Deshmukh, alleging disproportionate assets. ACB, in September 2022, had summoned him for inquiry. Two years later, ACB has again started probing the matter and has sent a letter to Akola Zila Parishad inquiring about the posts Deshmukh held in it and the honorarium he received during that period.

“I had given my statement to ACB in 2022. Nothing happened for two years and now again, ACB has woken up and sent this letter to ZP Akola seeking details about me. I challenge ACB to call me and conduct an open inquiry in front of the people,” said Deshmukh.

He alleged that the government has restarted the inquiry to pressurise him ahead of the elections.

Former NCP MLC Babajani Durrani also finds himself embroiled in a police case. He has been booked by Parbhani police in a case of abetment to suicide and atrocity. A social activist Balkrushna Kamble in Pathari tehsil of Parbhani district committed suicide on Tuesday. In his suicide note, he named Durrani as the reason for his suicide. His family complained to police that Durrani and Kamble had entered into a land deal few years back but Durrani did not pay the promised amount to Kamble, who had complained to the state government about it. After no action was taken, Kamble died by suicide on Tuesday. Police booked Durrani on the basis of a suicide note and a complaint filed by the family.

Durrani had joined deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar-led NCP after the split in the party but had recently returned to NCP founder Sharad Pawar camp.

Thackeray camp leader released from jail

Meanwhile, in a relief to the Thackeray camp, Advay Hiray, a leader from an influential political family from Malegaon area in Nashik, was released on bail on Wednesday after spending around nine months in jail. Hiray, who was with BJP earlier, joined the Thackeray camp in January 2023. Later, he was booked in a loan misuse matter, in the Renuka Yarn Mill case, and was arrested in November 2024. On Wednesday, he came out from Nashik jail and declared he will fight assembly elections and will not succumb to any pressure and fake cases. His release could hamper Mahayuti’s advance in the Nashik and Dhule regions.