Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole on Thursday backed Anil Deshmukh’s allegations that Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis has asked him to implicate Uddhav and Aditya Thackeray. Former Home Minister of Maharashtra Anil Deshmukh had been arrested by the ED in 2021 in an alleged money laundering case and had spent several months in jail.
“What Anil Deshmukh is saying must be true,” said Nana Patole, adding that the ED and CBI have never been used this way ever since Narendra Modi formed the government of Maharashtra. “Those who favour them have been spared, and ED cases against them have been taken back,” added Patole.
Earlier on Thursday, UBT Sena leader Sanjay Raut also backed Anil Deshmukh and said that the former Maharashtra home minister was sent to jail as a part of a conspiracy, and pressure was put on him to implicate Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, and Aditya Thackeray.
“Anil Deshmukh was sent to jail as part of a conspiracy. Before he was sent to jail, there was pressure put on him to implicate Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, and Aditya. He was also told that if he did not do this, he would be sent to jail. Two years ago, when both of us were in jail, Deshmukh told me this. The BJP can do such a thing. There is truth in what Anil Deshmukh ji has said,” said Sanjay Raut.
On Wednesday, July 24, NCP-SP leader Anil Deshmukh accused Devendra Fadnavis of asking him to write four affidavits against Uddhav Thackeray, Ajit Pawar, and Anil Parab.
He said, “Three years ago, Devendra Fadnavis sent a man to me and asked me to write four affidavits against Uddhav Thackeray, Aditya Thackeray, Ajit Pawar, and Anil Parab. Devendra Fadnavis sent the affidavits and asked me to sign them. I was told that if I did this, then neither ED nor CBI would come after me.”
Further, Deshmukh added that the Ed and CBI were sent after him because he decided not to make any false allegations.
“I was pressured, 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 the ED and CBI were sent after me. I was asked to give a false affidavit, and Aditya Thackeray raped Disha Salian and threw her from the balcony.”
Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, denied the allegations on Wednesday, saying that he wouldn’t spare anyone making personal allegations against him.
Speaking to ANI, Devendra Fadnavis said that the FIR against Deshmukh was registered by the CBI after clear orders from the chief justice of the Bombay High Court. He further said that Deshmukh made personal allegations against him.
“The FIR against Anil Deshmukh was registered by the CBI after clear orders by the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, and at that time it was not even our government in the state. Anil Deshmukh has been making personal allegations against me for a long time now. Usually, I don’t go behind anyone, but if someone comes for me, in response, I don’t spare that individual’, he said.
Further, he added, “I have several audios and videos provided by Anil Deshmukh’s party men in which he is heard saying a lot about Udhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar Saheb. When the time comes, I will release those.”
The allegations by Anil Deshmukh have caused a political storm in Maharashtra politics. (ANI)