In a veiled attack on senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Saturday alleged that the “Maharashtra pattern” of illegally tapping the phones of political opponents is being repeated in neighboring Goa, where the assembly will be held next week. The results of the elections will be announced. Speaking to reporters here, Raut also claimed that the same pattern may work in Uttar Pradesh, where counting of votes will also take place on March 10.
He said the apprehension of phone tapping was expressed by a senior Congress leader from Goa whom he had met recently. “I met Goa Congress leader and former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, who expressed apprehension that his phone was being tapped. I say that not only his (Kamat) but also MGP leader Sudin Dhavalikar and Goa Forward Party’s (GFP) Vijay Sardesai are being tapped.
The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) contested the elections in alliance with the Trinamool Congress. GFP has tied up with Congress. “Tapping the phones of political opponents started two years ago in Maharashtra after the 2019 assembly elections. Two FIRs have been registered against a lady officer who was involved (in phone tapping). The head of this Maharashtra pattern was in charge of Goa elections,” Raut alleged without naming former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Raut claimed that if there is a hung assembly in Goa, the central probe agencies will focus on the small coastal state. “We are all taking care. I spoke to Digambar Kamat and expressed solidarity with him.” According to the FIR lodged by Mumbai Police, senior IPS officer Rashmi Shukla illegally tapped the phones of Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut and NCP leader Eknath Khadse.
“Shukl and some officials tapped the phones of these two leaders in June 2019 allegedly for vested political interests,” said a first information report filed at Colaba police station in south Mumbai on Wednesday. Shukla is presently on a central deputation and posted as Additional. Director General of Police (Central Reserve Police Force) in Hyderabad.
Earlier, the Pune Police had registered an FIR against Shukla at the Bund Garden police station in connection with the alleged illegal tapping of Congress leader Nana Patole’s phone when the BJP-led government was in the state. Patole is now the state Congress president.
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