Mumbai civic polls: Shiv Sena leaders involved with shell firms, says BJP MP Kirit Somaiya

Somaiya’s claims come a week after he was stung by allegations from the Sena. Somaiya had promised to go public with his income and assets, challenging Thackeray and Sena MP Rahul Shewale to do the same.

BJP MP Kirit Somaiya on Monday asked the Shiv Sena to come clean on whether its party’s leaders laundered money through a web of shell companies.

Somaiya listed seven such companies and also challenged Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray to make all his financial transactions public. (File)

Somaiya listed seven such companies and also challenged Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray to make all his financial transactions public.

“The mafia controlling the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has used these companies to pass on kickbacks to the Sena. Let them clarify if any of their leaders have indulged in financial transactions with these companies,’’ Somaiya said. The BJP MP went on to say that two of the seven companies were used by former minister and senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal for alleged money-laundering. Bhujbal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in March last year.

Somaiya’s claims come a week after he was stung by allegations from the Sena. Somaiya had promised to go public with his income and assets, challenging Thackeray and Sena MP Rahul Shewale to do the same.

On Monday, Somaiya said he had put up all his financial transactions, from 1995 to 2014, in the public domain, on his website http://kiritsomaiya.com/kirit-somaiyas-income-assets/.

“It is the duty of the Sena leader Thackeray to come clean and disclose his accounts and make a declaration about the benami companies,’’ he said.

Reacting to Somaiya’s claims, Sena leader Anil Parab said his party will issue a detailed statement clarifying its stand on Tuesday. Sena spokesperson Harshal Pradhan said, “We do not want to distract the focus off the elections with such foolish allegations.”

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