Mumbai: Days after writing to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) for a probe into financial dealings of six Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) corporators who defected to the Shiv Sena, an MNS delegation met Vivek Phansalkar, Additional Director General (ACB). The ACB has called the lone MNS corporator to record his statement on Tuesday.
In his letter, Sanjay Turde (ward no. 166), the only MNS corporator left in the BMC, alleged that corporator Dilip Lande had made him an offer to join the Sena. “He [Mr. Lande] asked me if I will join Shiv Sena. He told me that all six of them have taken a decision and if I decide to join the Sena, they will ensure I don’t run out of money in my lifetime,” he said in the letter to the ACB.
Senior MNS leader Sandip Deshpande said, “We informed the authorities about the incident and demanded that an inquiry be conducted in the financial dealings as alleged by Sanjay Turde. The ACB has called Mr. Turde to record his statement.”
Mr. Turde has also claimed in his letter that Mr. Lande told him the exact amount of money for switching sides will be made clear when he agrees to defect. “When I refused, he warned me to not speak about this. It seems a large amount of money has been used, so it’s important to probe the matter through the ACB.”
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Kirit Somaiya too has written to the ACB and Enforcement Directorate (ED) seeking a probe into financial transactions between the Sena and the six corporators. Sena MLC Anil Parab, rumoured to have been the mastermind behind the defection, said he has not heard from probe agencies. “If any query comes to us, we are capable of satisfying them since we have not indulged in any wrongdoing,” he said.
