Industries Minister and senior Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant on Thursday, 22 October demanded a multi-agency investigation — comprising a Special Investigation Team (SIT), forensic analysis, and a cyber probe — into a viral 32-minute audio clip released by Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil, which has triggered a sharp political controversy in Maharashtra.

What the Audio Clip Claims

The explosive recording, made public by Jarange Patil, purportedly contains a claim that ₹500 crore had already been transferred to him through Shrikant Shinde, with the alleged purpose of undermining the Maratha agitation. A segment of the clip explicitly states: 'Jarange Patil ko already 500 crore roopaye pahunch chuke hain, jo Shrikant Shinde ke madhyam se pahunch chuke hain' — meaning the money was routed through Shinde to Jarange Patil. The clip also reportedly names Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as primary targets of an alleged political conspiracy.

Samant's Demands and Allegations

Addressing reporters at a press conference, Minister Samant described the audio clip as a 'deep-rooted conspiracy' engineered to damage Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's standing within the Maratha community and to create friction between the Shiv Sena and the BJP. He stressed that the authenticity of every conversation in the recording must be independently verified before any political conclusions are drawn.

Samant called on the police, cyber cell, and forensic science laboratories to jointly determine whose voices feature in the clip, who made the recording, where it was recorded, and how it came to be in Jarange Patil's possession. He emphasised that the focus should shift from debating unverified financial allegations to identifying what he called the 'unseen masterminds' behind the episode.

Shrikant Shinde's Name in the Recording

Minister Samant specifically addressed the mention of MP Dr Shrikant Shinde in the audio, categorically stating that Shinde has 'no connection whatsoever' to the matter. He questioned the intent behind pulling Shinde's name into the conversation and said this aspect too warranted a formal inquiry.

He alleged that certain elements — whether operating from within or outside the current political arrangement — were deliberately exploiting the situation to drive a wedge between the Maratha community and the Shiv Sena, and to strain the alliance between Shiv Sena and the BJP.

What Jarange Patil and Shinde Have Said

Samant noted that Manoj Jarange Patil has already issued a public clarification denying that he received any money, while Eknath Shinde has also stated his position on the matter. Despite these denials, Samant maintained that a formal, institutionalised investigation is necessary to conclusively settle the controversy and prevent further political exploitation of the Maratha reservation issue.

Shiv Sena's Next Steps

A Shiv Sena delegation is scheduled to call on Chief Minister Fadnavis to formally press for the multi-agency enquiries. Separately, senior Shiv Sena leader and former minister Ramdas Kadam reacted sharply to the clip, claiming the individuals purportedly speaking in it were associated with the BJP. Kadam said, 'What do we have to do with this? The people in the clip belong to the BJP.' He also invoked Eknath Shinde's contributions to building legal backing for Maratha reservation, arguing that key legal strategies for the community had been formulated under Shinde's leadership. The controversy arrives at a politically sensitive moment for Maharashtra, where coalition optics and the Maratha reservation issue remain intertwined ahead of state-level political activity.