A high-level Shiv Sena delegation met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai on Thursday, 22 October 2026, demanding a comprehensive forensic and cybercrime investigation into an alleged audio clip surfaced by Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil at a press conference. The clip contains a claim that ₹500 crore had allegedly been routed to Jarange Patil through Shrikant Shinde, a charge that the Shinde camp has categorically denied.

What the Alleged Audio Clip Claims

A particularly inflammatory segment of the purported recording states — in Hindi — that 'Jarange Patil ko already 500 crore roopaye pahunch chuke hain, jo Shrikant Shinde ke madhyam se pahunch chuke hain' (₹500 crore has already reached Manoj Jarange through Shrikant Shinde). The clip further allegedly claims that Jarange Patil's primary political target is Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The source and authenticity of the recording have not been independently verified.

Shiv Sena Delegation and Key Demands

The Shiv Sena delegation that called on Fadnavis included Legislative Council Deputy Chairperson Sachin Ahir, Member of Parliament Milind Deora, former MP Rahul Shewale, MLA Rahul Patil, MP Ravindra Waikar, and Deepak Sawant. The leaders formally submitted a petition urging the state government to deploy cyber cell and intelligence agencies to establish the clip's authenticity and trace its origin. Fadnavis reportedly assured the delegation that a thorough inquiry would be conducted and that no one would be spared.

What Party Leaders Said

Sachin Ahir told reporters: 'We have submitted a memorandum to Devendra Fadnavis. Manoj Jarange made baseless and meaningless accusations. Eknath Shinde has already refuted the allegations made by Manoj Jarange. However, as a party, we demand that this matter should be investigated.' He added that cybercrime and intelligence personnel must bring facts to light as soon as possible.

Rahul Shewale called the statements made by Jarange Patil at the press conference 'condemnable and defamatory.' He said: 'A demand has been made to bring out the truth of the alleged audio clip presented by Manoj Jarange Patil to the media through forensic and cyber cell examinations, and to take action against the culprits.' Shewale also emphasised that special scrutiny must be applied to statements made by an unidentified woman in the clip regarding MP Shrikant Shinde — including who she is, the basis of her claims, and who may have provided her with information.

Shewale further warned: 'If there are attempts to defame leaders of constituent parties within the Mahayuti alliance and make insulting remarks about allied parties, our demand is that those involved should not receive any political patronage.'

Political Context and Broader Stakes

The controversy unfolds against a charged backdrop in Maharashtra, where the Maratha reservation movement has repeatedly destabilised the ruling Mahayuti coalition — comprising Shiv Sena, BJP, and the Nationalist Congress Party. Jarange Patil has been a persistent pressure point for the alliance, staging multiple hunger strikes and mass mobilisations demanding Kunbi caste certificates for Marathas. Senior Shiv Sena figures have now framed this audio clip episode as a potential 'deeper conspiracy' to disrupt social harmony across the state. This is not the first time Jarange Patil's methods have come under scrutiny from ruling-coalition leaders; the latest episode, however, marks an escalation with explicit financial allegations and demands for a criminal investigation.

What Happens Next

With CM Fadnavis having assured an in-depth inquiry, attention will now shift to whether the state government constitutes a formal Special Investigation Team (SIT) or directs the existing cyber cell to take up the matter. The outcome of any forensic examination of the audio clip could either lend credence to or debunk the ₹500 crore allegation — with significant implications for the Mahayuti alliance's internal cohesion and the trajectory of the Maratha reservation agitation ahead of upcoming electoral cycles.