Maharashtra CM Claims Ties Between Accused Woman and NCP-SP Leaders in Extortion Case

Synopsis

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis revealed that associates of an accused woman in an extortion case involving Minister Jaykumar Gore were in contact with NCP-SP leaders. The accused was arrested in a police operation, and evidence suggests a conspiracy linked to prominent political figures.

Key Takeaways

Accused woman arrested for extortion.
Direct communication with NCP-SP leaders found.
Evidence includes recorded calls and WhatsApp messages.
Chief Minister emphasizes political accountability.
Alleged collusion among accused and political figures.

Mumbai, March 25 (NationPress) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis revealed in the state Assembly on Tuesday that the associates of a woman accused of attempting to extort funds from Rural Development Minister Jaykumar Gore have been directly communicating with NCP SP leaders Supriya Sule and Rohit Pawar.

The Chief Minister confirmed that the woman has been apprehended following a police operation, and investigations are ongoing.

Addressing the opposition's motion, he mentioned that recorded calls between the accused woman’s associates and the two leaders have been obtained.

“If political motives are behind attempts to harm someone, that is unacceptable. The case concerning Gore was initially filed in 2016 and concluded in 2019. At that time, he was not a member of the ruling party. Yet, this case has suddenly resurfaced,” stated the Chief Minister.

“I commend the minister for his bravery. Although individuals often seek to resolve conflicts, he reported the demand for a bribe from the accused woman. All discussions were recorded, yielding multiple clips. Once the police were convinced, they set a trap to catch the woman while she was accepting cash. This was indeed a form of blackmail,” the Chief Minister elaborated.

He suggested a potential collusion in this case, stating, “This appears to be a network. Three individuals have been arrested: the woman, journalist Tushar Kharat, and a man named Anil Subhedar. They conspired together, and evidence has been gathered, including their WhatsApp messages. Approximately 150 phones have been seized, revealing how this conspiracy unfolded. Regrettably, the Nationalist Congress Party was in direct communication with them,” he added.

The Chief Minister noted that Prabhakar Deshmukh has had over 100 direct communications with these three suspects and that videos have been shared with them.

“They responded as well. However, what concerns me more is that Supriya Sule and Rohit Pawar reached out to Tushar Kharat, who operates a YouTube channel. The accused have sent videos of Jaykumar Gore to Sule and Pawar. This will be investigated. But why is this unfolding? We are not political foes; we are political rivals. If a plot to jeopardize someone’s life is being devised, that is wrong,” he remarked.