Political tensions in Maharashtra have escalated over an alleged honeytrap racket. On Friday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis responded to the issue in the Assembly, stating that the government has not yet received any formal complaint related to the matter. He said, "Neither any minister nor any official has filed a complaint regarding a honeytrap so far."
The Chief Minister's remarks came in response to Congress MLA and former state president Nana Patole’s statement, in which he claimed that high-ranking ministers, senior IAS and IPS officers were targeted by a honeytrap racket operating in the ministry premises of Thane, Nashik, and Mumbai. Patole alleged that several officials might be involved in this scandal, which could pose a serious threat to state security.
Politics Heats Up Over Nana Patole's Allegations
Speaking in the Assembly, Patole claimed that he possesses "all evidence related to the case in a pen drive". He also alleged that the government has known about the matter for a long time but has taken no action. He accused the government of trying to suppress the issue, despite it being a matter of national security with potential risks of sensitive documents being leaked.
CM Devendra Fadnavis Rejects Allegations
In response, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis countered the claims, saying, "We don’t know what kind of bomb this is, but no complaint has been received so far. No officer or minister has filed any complaint." He added that the government takes all complaints seriously, but no such information or documents have been submitted yet.
Meanwhile, Speaker of the Assembly Rahul Narwekar directed the state government to take cognizance of the matter and submit a response to the House. After repeated demands from the Congress party, the Speaker instructed the government to present a detailed report before the end of Friday’s session.
Strict Action Will Be Taken Against the Guilty
In the meantime, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde assured the House that the government is taking these allegations seriously. He said an investigation will be conducted and, if anyone is found guilty, strict action will be taken against them. The controversy deepened further after media reports claimed that several senior officials in Maharashtra were trapped in a honeytrap by a woman, who then blackmailed them and extorted money. According to reports, the woman allegedly threatened to falsely accuse the officials of rape and attempted to extort lakhs of rupees from them.
