Maharashtra govt transfers probe in two cases linked to BJP leaders including Fadnavis to CBI

The Maharashtra government has directed the state police to transfer investigation of two cases to the CBI. Notably, both these cases involve two BJP leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, The Indian Express reported. 

The first case is related to sensitive call recordings being leaked from the State Intelligence Department (SID). 

In March this year, the Mumbai Police Crime Branch had recorded Fadnavis’ statement. Even as the then Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil had said that the former’s statement was being recorded as a witness, Fadnavis said he felt like he was made an accused in the case. 

The second case in which BJP leader Girish Mahajan and 28 others were booked on charges of extortion and criminal conspiracy has also been transferred to the CBI. 

In March 2021, the Mumbai Police had registered an FIR against unknown persons under the Official Secrets Act, days after the then Leader of Opposition Fadnavis had alleged that there was hectic lobbying by IPS officers for plum postings in exchange for money with politicians in the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi government. 

The FIR was based based on the complaint lodged by an assistant commissioner, SID, against unknown persons for leaking a classified report filed by the then SID commissioner Rashmi Shukla. The file contained crucial details pertaining to some private individuals who allegedly used their political connections and facilitated transfers and postings for senior police officers in exchange for money.

The MVA government had then asked then additional chief secretary (Home) Sitaram Kunte to inquire into the phone tapping and how the recordings were leaked. Subsequently, a case was registered by the Mumbai Police and the statements of Fadnavis and Shukla were recorded.

Similarly, in Mahajan’s case, the FIR was registered based on a complaint by lawyer Vijay Patil, one of the directors of the Jilha Maratha Vidyaprasarak Sahakari Samaaj – a cooperative educational institute in Jalgaon.

Patil alleged that he was threatened and asked to resign. He also alleged that during a visit to Pune in 2018, he was forcibly taken to a flat in Sadashiv Peth area, confined there and was asked for money. He was also threatened that he will be booked in false offences.