The Maharashtra government has notified the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe allegations of a conspiracy to falsely frame Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde during the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.
On Friday, the Maharashtra home department issued an order establishing the SIT under Mumbai Joint Commissioner Satyanarayan Choudhary. The team will also include DIG SRPF Rajiv Jain, DCP (Zone VI) Navnath Dhawale, and ACP (Bandra Division) Aadikrao Pol. SIT has been asked to submit its report to the government in 30 days.
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The investigation follows claims raised by BJP MLC Pravin Darekar in the Maharashtra Legislative Council in December. Darekar alleged that a conspiracy was hatched to frame Fadnavis and Shinde in a false case during the MVA government’s tenure. An FIR had been registered by Thane police in August 2024 in connection with the case.
According to reports, the SIT will also investigate allegations that Deputy Commissioner of Police Laxmikant Patil was involved in the plot to frame Fadnavis and Shinde. After the Mahayuti government came to power in August 2024, an FIR was filed against former DGP Sanjay Pandey, ACP Sardar Patil, Inspector Manohar Patil, and others, including advocate Shekhar Jagtap. The allegations state that they pressured a Thane-based businessman to make false claims against Fadnavis and Shinde to justify registering an FIR against them.
The Thane police have already recorded the statement of Pandey in connection with the ongoing investigation.