Manoj Jarange releases Rs 500 crore audio clip; Shinde Sena seeks answers from BJP

Mumbai: An audio clip allegedly released by Maratha quota leader Manoj Jarange Patil has triggered a row between Maharashtra's ruling parties, Shiv Sena and BJP. Patil claims the recording captures a BJP functionary alleging that the party paid deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde of Shiv Sena Rs 500 crore to "manage" him.

While Patil has sought a probe into the matter, claiming the clip was made to defame him, Shiv Sena has demanded a probe to know the identity of the leaders involved and the action BJP would take against them.

It is alleged that the voice in the clip is of a female BJP functionary discussing the alleged payment during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The voice in the recording claims that parliamentarian Shrikant Shinde, son of Eknath Shinde, had given Rs 500 crore to Patil to "manage" him during the elections. The person also alleges that the money was given by BJP leadership in Delhi.


Patil claimed that he did not take any such payment and that the clip was aimed at disparaging the Maratha reservation movement. "There should be an investigation into who has said this. If there is no investigation and the people in the audio are safeguarded, then it is clear that chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is behind this," Patil told the media.

While BJP said the audio clip seems to be AI-generated, Shiv Sena took a different position, seemingly backing Patil's allegation that the audio clip was of a BJP functionary. Shiv Sena minister Uday Samant, while seeking a probe and claiming that the audio clip was trying to defame their party leader, Eknath Shinde, said, "Some people connected with BJP seem to be speaking in the audio clip. There should be a forensic investigation as well if the audio clip is real; BJP should also probe the clip. If the audio clip is true, then BJP should clarify what action they would be taking on this person," said Samant.

Virtually blaming the BJP leadership for not being able to rein in their party cadres, the Shiv Sena minister questioned whether BJP functionaries were trying to create discord between the two parties. "Are all these things happening keeping the chief minister and the state president in the dark? If party leaders are kept in the dark and such things are happening, then is it good? All this should come before the people."

BJP minister Ashish Shelar claimed that the audio clip was "bogus" and took offence to the Shiv Sena going public on the issue.

Meanwhile, state Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal said that both Shinde and his son should be arrested and probed by ED.