Devendra Fadnavis dismissed Nawab Malik’s charges of collusion with the drug mafia and said that he will, in fact, expose the NCP leader’s links with the underworld and the drug mafia after Diwali, and the evidence will be sent to NCP chief Sharad Pawar. “Nawab Malik attempted a phuska patakha, but after Diwali, I will bring a bomb. I will expose Nawab Malik's underworld links and send the evidence to Sharad Pawar too,” he said.

He called Malik’s allegations linking him to Jaideep Rana as “laughable” and added that Rana featured in several photos with the entire team of River Anthem, including himself. “The photos were clicked during the shoot of the album ‘River Anthem’. There are photos of Rana with the entire team but Malik consciously shared the photograph featuring my wife. This reflects his mentality,” Fadnavis said.

He said the team that produced the video had already clarified that Rana, who was listed as finance head of the video, has been removed from the project. “Neither my wife nor I have any relations with that person. He is leveling charges against the BJP based on just one photo. His son-in-law was nabbed with drugs. Does that make the NCP a party of drug suppliers?” he asked. Fadnavis alleged that Malik was trying to put pressure on the NCB to get the agency to dilute the chargesheet against his son-in-law.

Meanwhile, Malik said that he will address a press conference today to further expose alleged links between the BJP and the drug mafias. He also alleged that a person named Neeraj Gunde, who is allegedly linked with Fadnavis, used to visit the NCB office often. “Gunde has close ties with the former CM. He had access to the then chief minister's residence, and all the offices in the ministry. Gunde was instrumental in the transfers of the police and the administrative officers. Also, Fadnavis used to be a frequent visitor to Gunde’s house,” he alleged.

Countering Malik, Fadnavis said he knew Gunde, and said, “What is Gunde’s crime? There is no case against him. No one has complained against him. Gunde has been exposing the NCP’s scams and tweets about it. If the party has guts, then file a defamation case against him.” He asked Malik to find out from CM Uddhav Thackeray about Gunde and said Thackeray may have visited Gunde’s residence more than him (Fadnavis). He said Gunde was also a frequent visitor to the Thackeray residence Matoshree.

Malik said that Gunde was the BJP’s “emissary” for the party’s alliance talks with the Shiv Sena and his meetings with Thackeray were for political purposes.