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Sharad Pawar camp's explosive 'affidavit' charge against Fadnavis; BJP says 'objectionable'
The former Maharashtra home minister alleged that an intermediary of Devendra Fadnavis asked him to provide affidavits against the Thackerays.
Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader and former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh on Wednesday claimed that an “intermediary” of BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis had asked him to provide affidavits against important figures in the then Maha Vikas Aghadi government, including chief minister Uddhav Thackeray.
“A person was sent by (Devendra) Fadnavis (who was then in opposition) met me, carrying with him affidavits. I was asked to make written allegations against Uddhav Thackeray, (his son and then cabinet minister) Aaditya Thackeray, (then finance Minister) Ajit Pawar and (then transport minister) Anil Parab,” Deshmukh claimed.
“I was told that if I did this, then neither ED nor CBI would come after me. I was pressurised but I clearly said that even if I have to go to jail for life, I will not make false allegations. I did not bow down and that is why ED and CBI were sent after me,” Deshmukh alleged.
He further claimed that the intermediary asked him to give a false affidavit alleging that Aaditya Thackeray raped Disha Salian, the ex-manager of the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, and threw her from the balcony.
Deshmukh stepped down as home minister in April 2021 after then Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh accused him of asking police to collect money from hotel and bar owners in the city.
Doubling down Deshmukh's allegations, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut claimed that the NCP leader of Sharad Pawar camp was sent to jail as a part of a conspiracy.
“Before being sent to the jail, Anil Deshmukh was pressurised to name Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, Aaditya Thackeray in some case otherwise ED will be sent after you. Anil Deshmukh told me this in jail two years ago,” Raut said.
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Fadnavis, Maharashtra deputy CM who also holds the home portfolio, said it was baseless.
"Anil Deshmukh should know that his own party leaders have provided me with multiple pieces of audio-visual evidence of his comments about then CM Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, or the controversial police officer Sachin Waze. If false accusations are levelled against me, I will have no choice but to make this evidence public," Fadnavis said.
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BJP leader Ram Kadam termed the allegations “objectionable” and wondered whether it was being done to malign Fadnavis's image ahead of the assembly elections.
"A leader (Anil Deshmukh) who was jailed for extortion of ₹100 crore, he is now out on bail... he is now making objectionable allegations against Devendra Fadnavis. If you were so clean and you have proof of claims being true why did you not speak up for two years? Are you trying to malign the image of Devendra Fadnavis as the assembly elections are nearing?" he said.
