Former DGP ‘recommends’ FIR against ex-IPS Sanjay Pandey over ‘conspiracy’ to frame Fadnavis

Mumbai, Jan 10 (PTI) Maharashtra ex-DGP Rashmi Shukla had recommended registration of an FIR against former top cop Sanjay Pandey and two others over an alleged conspiracy to implicate Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde in a false case in 2016, sources claimed on Saturday.

Reacting to the claim, BJP leaders demanded a thorough investigation to find out at whose instance Pandey, who was the DGP (director general of police) during the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government, was allegedly acting.

Sanjay Raut of Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), however, attacked Shukla, saying her report cannot be trusted as she was a “worker of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)”.

Before she retired on January 3, Shukla submitted a report to the home department based on an inquiry conducted by a Special Investigation Team (SIT), sources claimed.

The report suggested that then DGP Sanjay Pandey, Deputy Commissioner of Police Laxmikant Patil and Assistant Commissioner of Police Sardar Patil were involved in a conspiracy to implicate Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis (who was then Leader of Opposition in the assembly) as well as current deputy CM Shinde (then a minister), by re-investigating a 2016 extortion case registered at Thane Nagar Police Station, the sources said.

Shukla recommended that a First Information Report be registered against these three officials, the sources added.

A case was registered against Shyamsunder Agarwal at Thane Nagar Police Station in 2016 following a dispute between him and his former business partner, real estate developer Sanjay Punamiya. A charge sheet was filed in 2017.

Pandey, who headed the state police force when the Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government was in power, ordered a reinvestigation of the case, it is alleged.

Punamiya later filed a complaint at the same police station, alleging that the 2016 case was used as a pretext for reinvestigation between 2021 and June 2024 to harass him and extort money from him. Based on his complaint, an extortion case was registered against Pandey and seven others in 2024.

BJP leader and legislative council member Pravin Darekar had raised the issue in the Maharashtra legislature, claiming that this was a conspiracy to frame Fadnavis and Shinde.

In his statement in the 2024 extortion case, Sardar Patil admitted to the conspiracy, police sources claimed.

Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut accused Shukla of being a “worker of the RSS”. “She is an RSS person in uniform. Her report cannot be trusted,” Raut said.

State minister Ashish Shelar and Mumbai BJP chief Ameet Satam on Saturday targeted Thackeray over the issue.

“Under whose pressure was Sanjay Pandey working? Who gave the orders? Who were the chief minister and home minister at that time? This was done to send Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde to jail.

“Uddhav Thackeray has built a false image of innocence, but he will have to pay for this sin. During Uddhav Thackeray’s tenure, there was a situation of police chasing police,” said Shelar, demanding that Pandey undergo brain mapping tests and narcoanalysis.

Satam alleged that false documents were prepared to register cases against Fadnavis and Shinde.

“Between 2019 and 2022, when Uddhav Thackeray was chief minister, an atmosphere of anarchy prevailed in Maharashtra....opponents were jailed, cases were filed against those who spoke against the government, murders were carried out through the police, and attacks were orchestrated,” he claimed. PTI DC ND PR KRK NR