Nagpur ‘honey trap’ audio; Devendra Fadnavis warns minister: If there is no impartial probe, will approach Chief Justice & registrar

Former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. (File)

In response to the letter from Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh to him about the persons allegedly associated with the ‘honey trap plan’ audio, senior BJP leader and former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday wrote back to Deshmukh, warning him that unless an impartial probe was conducted into the matter by the state government, he will write to the Chief Justice and Registrar of Bombay High Court, requesting a probe.

In an audio tape that went viral in Nagpur last week, two persons can be heard purportedly discussing a plan to “honey trap” city Mayor Sandeep Joshi and BJP corporater Dayashankar Tiwari. Fadnavis had demanded a probe in the matter, after which Deshmukh had ordered one.

In a letter to Fadnavis sent by Deshmukh on Friday, the minister alleged that one of the persons heard on the audio tape was associated with the BJP and had close personal and business relations with former BJP minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and former BJP MLA Sudhakar Deshmukh. The Minister had even released photographs of the person, identified as Sahil Sayyad, with Bawankule and Fadnavis, saying that the matter (plan to honey-trap senior BJP leaders) discussed in the audio was an “internal dispute of the BJP”.

Fadnavis wrote back to Deshmukh on Saturday, refuting the allegations. “In response to my letter on July 14, you have made the allegations that the said person in the audio tape is a BJP worker having business relations with Bawankule and Deshmukh. This was on the basis of some photographs you have released. But the same person is also seen in photographs with NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and ministers Sunil Kedar, Nitin Raut and yourself. Some photos show him donning a NCP scarf. Such photos cannot be cited to claim the person to be any party’s worker. After the tape went viral, I have requested you to get the matter investigated. Both Bawankule and Deshmukh have already refuted your allegations but your inference, that the matter in the audio tape is a fallout of BJP’s internal dispute, is tantamount to prejudicing the probe,” he wrote.

He added, “The said audio isn’t just about the honey trap plan but the persons also talk about managing judiciary and police. Hence, if an impartial probe isn’t carried out in the case, I will be constrained to move the Chief Justice and Registrar of Bombay High Court, with a request to conduct an inquiry.” The matter is currently being probed by Nagpur Police’s Crime Branch.

📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines

For all the latest India News, download Indian Express App.

© The Indian Express (P) Ltd