In a stunning revelation, former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has accused BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis of orchestrating a high-stakes conspiracy to malign the images of key figures in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
Deshmukh claims that an "intermediary" sent by Fadnavis pressured him to produce affidavits against prominent leaders including Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, his son Aaditya Thackeray, Finance Minister Ajit Pawar, and Transport Minister Anil Parab.
Deshmukh alleges that Fadnavis’s emissary offered him a deal: provide false accusations or face relentless scrutiny from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Invesitgations (CBI).
“A person was sent by (Devendra) Fadnavis (who was then in opposition) met me, carrying with him affidavits. I was asked to make written allegations against Uddhav Thackeray, (his son and then cabinet minister) Aaditya Thackeray, (then finance Minister) Ajit Pawar and (then transport minister) Anil Parab,” Deshmukh claimed.
“I was told that if I did this, then neither ED nor CBI would come after me. I was pressurised 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 ED and CBI were sent after me,” Deshmukh alleged.
The explosive claims don’t stop there. Deshmukh further alleges that he was urged to make a false affidavit accusing Aaditya Thackeray of raping Disha Salian, the ex-manager of the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, and threw her from the balcony.
Deshmukh resigned from his position as Home Minister of Maharashtra in April 2021 after then Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh accused him of asking police to collect money from hotel and bar owners in the city.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has backed Deshmukh’s allegations, suggesting that the NCP leader’s imprisonment was part of a larger conspiracy.
“Before being sent to the jail, Anil Deshmukh was pressurised to name Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, Aaditya Thackeray in some case otherwise ED will be sent after you. Anil Deshmukh told me this in jail two years ago,” Raut said.
Meanwhile, Fadnavis has dismissed the claims as baseless and inflammatory.
"Anil Deshmukh should know that his own party leaders have provided me with multiple pieces of audio-visual evidence of his comments about then CM Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, or the controversial police officer Sachin Waze. If false accusations are levelled against me, I will have no choice but to make this evidence public," Fadnavis said.
BJP leader Ram Kadam has condemned Deshmukh’s accusations as “objectionable,” questioning why such serious claims are being made just before the assembly elections. Kadam pointed out these allegations may be an attempt to tarnish Fadnavis’s reputation at a critical time.
