Attempt to bribe Maharashtra legislature's panel during Dhule visit, alleges Sanjay Raut

Mumbai, May 22 (PTI) Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has alleged that his party’s workers foiled an attempt to ‘bribe’ the state legislature's Estimates Committee during their visit to Dhule district.

While a senior official said an investigation has been launched, the committee chairman, Arjun Khotkar, rubbished allegations linking the episode to his personal assistant (PA). Khotkar is an MLA of the Shiv Sena led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

In a post on X on Wednesday night, Raut alleged that more than Rs 5 crore in cash was found in a room at the government guest house in Dhule city.

“When the legislature estimates committee visited Dhule district today (Wednesday), about five and a half crore rupees were kept in room number 102 at the Dhule government rest house Gulmohar for giving bribe to the committee,” the Rajya Sabha member claimed.

Former Shiv Sena MLA Anil Anna Gote and local Sena (UBT) leaders locked the room and stood guard outside, Raut said.

“Despite informing the district collector, superintendent of police and Anti-Corruption Bureau, no one has come even after four to five hours....There is no cooperation from the administration. The bribe was meant to suppress corruption in development works and officials’ involvement in it,” he alleged.

The estimates committee is empowered to scrutinise the utilisation of funds allocated to a particular area in the state budget.

Meanwhile, Dhule superintendent of police Shrikant Dhivare told reporters that the matter was being probed.

Anil Gote told reporters that Room 102 at the Dhule rest house was booked in the name of Khotkar’s PA Kishore Patil. The money was kept in the room to be distributed to the committee members, he alleged.

Khotkar told reporters that the money found in the Dhule rest house had nothing to do with the committee. He rejected Gote’s allegations that the room was booked in the name of his PA.

“I spoke to my PA. He said he hadn’t booked that particular room. He had booked the one next to it,” he said.

Raut later told reporters that the person in whose name the room (102) was booked should be probed. PTI MR KRK NR

Source: PTI