Maintaining that the allegations of money laundering made by BJP MP Kirit Somaiya against Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray was indeed “serious” in nature, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadfnavis on Monday advised Somaiya to lodge a complaint against Uddhav with the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
In an interview with a leading Marathi television channel here, Fadnavis said: “My advice to Somaiya is: instead of trying to make political capital out of the allegations, Somaiya should lodge a complaint with the ED. The allegation made by Somaiya against Uddhav Thackeray is serious. If there is merit in it, the ED will definitely look into the complaint”.
Somaiya had on Thursday last turned up the heat on Uddhav, by demanding to know if the latter had any links with seven shell companies allegedly involved in money laundering.
Daring Uddhav to declare his assets, Somaiya had tweeted: “I have disclosed my assets then why @uddhavthackeray not disclosing assetsIJ Is he afraid of connection with 7 shell companies involved in money launderingIJ”
Naming seven shell companies linked to Maharashtra’s former deputy chief minister and incarcerated senior NCP leader
Chhagan Bhujbal who is being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in two money laundering cases, Somaiya had demanded to know if these companies had indulged in money laundering transactions with the Uddhav-linked companies.
Contesting the “baseless” allegations being made by Somaiya against Sena president, senior Sena leader and MP Rahul Shewale had dared the BJP-led Devendra Fadnavis dispensation in the state and the NDA government to order an inquiry into the assets of Uddhav and other Thackeray family members.
Dismissing all the allegations made by Somaiya against the Sena President, Shewale responded at a news conference here: “I say it with full responsibility, Uddhav Thackeray and his family members are not running or linked to any shell companies. Nor do they have unaccounted assets. If the chief minister or his party leaders have the courage, they should make the allegations with proof. But, I ask the BJP leaders not to make baseless allegations to malign the image of my president and his family members”.
“The desperate manner in which the chief minister is making personal allegations against my party president goes to prove that the BJP has indirectly accepted the defeat in the BMC polls. Devendra Fadnavis is the weakest and most ill-informed chief minister that Maharashtra has seen so far. He has absolutely no knowledge of administration,” Shewale contended.