Anil Deshmukh dares Fadnavis to release “audiovisual evidence” against him

Deshmukh accused Fadnavis of asking him to write four false affidavits against Uddhav and Aadiyta Thackeray, Ajit Pawar and Anil Parab

NAGPUR: Former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh has challenged Devendra Fadnavis to release the “audiovisual evidence” the deputy CM claimed he had of him speaking ill of Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar. “Fadnavis does not have any such clips,” he said. “He is saying this to defend himself. However, if he does, he should bring them to the public. I publicly challenge him to do this.”

Mumbai, India - September 8, 2020: Anil Deshmukh at the Vidhan Bhavan for the Monsoon Session of the Maharashtra State Legislature in Mumbai, India, on Tuesday, September 8, 2020. (HT PHOTO) (Hindustan Times)

The feud between the two political heavyweights from Nagpur began when Deshmukh claimed that Fadnavis had sent an intermediary to him during the Maha Vikas Aghadi government’s tenure to implicate four of its former ministers. “I have video recordings to prove that attempts were made to pressurise me to frame the Thackerays and Ajit Pawar. If someone challenges me, I will reveal everything,” he said.

Deshmukh accused Fadnavis of asking him to write four false affidavits against Uddhav and Aadiyta Thackeray, Ajit Pawar and Anil Parab, including implicating Aaditya Thackeray in the Disha Salian case. “I was warned to sign the affidavits but I told them that even if I had to go to jail for life, I would not,” he said. “That’s why the ED and CBI were sent after me. I have proof of these claims in a pen drive. I don’t speak without proof.”

The ED and CBI took action against Deshmukh following allegations made by then Mumbai police commissioner Parambir Singh. Deshmukh spent 13 months in jail before being released on bail and is now alleging that his imprisonment was a conspiracy orchestrated by Fadnavis. The organiser of the All-India Superstition Eradication Committee, Shyam Manav, had also made a similar allegation against Fadnavis a few days ago, and called for an inquiry into the matter.

In response, Fadnavis said on Wednesday that Anil Deshmukh had been making personal allegations against him for a long time and he would release his own evidence against him.