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Somaiya files complaint at Kolhapur police station; Mushrif counters with ₹100 crore suit

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kirit Somaiya visited Kolhapur district on Tuesday and filed a complaint application at a local police station against Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Hasan Mushrif

Published on: Sep 29, 2021, 24:32:00 IST
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PUNE Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kirit Somaiya visited Kolhapur district on Tuesday and filed a complaint application at a local police station against Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Hasan Mushrif, for his alleged involvement in various “corruption cases”.

BJP leader Kirit Somaiya visits the Mahalaxmi temple in Kolhapur on Tuesday. Somaiya files complaint at Kolhapur police station. (ANIL VELHA/HT)
BJP leader Kirit Somaiya visits the Mahalaxmi temple in Kolhapur on Tuesday. Somaiya files complaint at Kolhapur police station. (ANIL VELHA/HT)

The Minister on his part has already refuted allegations against him and filed a Rs100 crore defamation suit against Somaiya in A local court. According to Mushrif’s lawyer, the suit has been filed in Kolhapur court in which BJP state president Chandrakant Patil has also been made a respondent.

After arriving in Kolhapur district, Somaiya visited the Murgud police station and submitted a complaint application saying if the police do not take action on his application in the next seven days, he will approach the court.

“I will wait for seven days to see what action police take. If there is no action, I will approach the court,” said Somaiya while speaking to reporters.

Claiming to expose one more scam of Mushrif worth 1,500 crore, Somaiya said that Mushrif in the capacity of rural development minister had given a tender worth 1,500 crore to a company linked to his son-in-law. He said that the tender given to the firm was related to filing tax returns and TDS filings of gram panchayats in the state. “The tender was given to the firm, which did not have any prior experience of filing GST, TDS, and tax returns,” Somaiya claimed.

Earlier on Monday, Kolhapur district Collector Rahul Rekhawar had withdrawn his previous order prohibiting BJP leader Kirit Somaiya from entering Kolhapur district. The fresh order allowed Somaiya to enter Kolhapur district on Tuesday.

On September 20, Somaiya claimed he was stopped and detained by police at Karad in western Maharashtra while he was on way to Kolhapur, after the district authorities cited law and order as well as security concerns following his allegations of corruption against Mushrif.

His detention preceded high drama in Mumbai where Somaiya was asked by police not to venture out of his residence citing the Kolhapur administration’s order.

The Sena distanced itself from the action saying directions were issued by Home department which is under Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

After being stopped at Karad, Somaiya alleged that he was jostled by Mumbai police who on Sunday night to tried to prevent him from boarding a Kolhapur-bound Mahalaxmi express. Somaiya planned to visit Kagal in Kolhapur, the Assembly constituency represented by Mushrif, and file a police complaint against the minister over alleged irregularities.