Manoj Jarange-Patil ₹500 Crore Audio Clip Row: Maharashtra Police Forms 3-Member SIT, ACP Shailesh Balkawade To Lead Probe

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Police have constituted a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the controversial audio clip in which a claim was made that Rs 500 crore was paid to Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange-Patil through Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde. The move follows Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's directions to the Mumbai Police Commissioner to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.

Shailesh Balkawade To Head Probe

Additional Commissioner of Police Shailesh Balkawade will head the SIT, while Deputy Commissioners of Police Vijaykant Sagar and Bajrang Bansode will be its members.

The controversy has triggered a political confrontation between the BJP and the Shiv Sena led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Jarange had demanded an impartial probe to establish the authenticity of the audio clip and identify those behind it.

Jarange Questions Probe's Effectiveness

Reacting to the formation of the SIT, Jarange cautioned the government against merely constituting a probe panel without getting to the bottom of the matter. He reiterated that the clip was genuine and not AI-generated, claiming that such a lengthy recording could not have been fabricated using artificial intelligence.

Jarange also questioned the choice of the SIT chief, pointing out that Balkawade had previously served as Superintendent of Police in Jalna. While alleging that the officer was considered close to Fadnavis, Jarange said the investigation must remain impartial.

Jarange Alleges Political Conspiracy

Raising further questions over the political implications of the alleged recording, Jarange wondered whether it was part of an attempt to damage Eknath Shinde's political career. He alleged that tensions between Shinde and Fadnavis could be linked to the controversy and claimed that a detailed investigation might reveal a larger political conspiracy. These allegations have not been independently established.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking an investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) or another central agency into the alleged Rs 500-crore transaction.

The BJP, however, has maintained that the audio clip is AI-generated and demanded a thorough investigation into Raut's role in the controversy.

The forensic examination of the recording is now expected to be crucial in establishing its authenticity and determining the circumstances surrounding its circulation.

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