Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar/Mumbai: Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Monday alleged that the purported audio clip claiming Rs 500 crore was routed to him through Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde could be part of a conspiracy to damage deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde’s political career.Addressing the reporters in Jalna, Jarange said invoking artificial intelligence to dismiss the recording could give BJP an “escape route”. He demanded an impartial probe to verify the authenticity of the clip and identify those behind it.Jarange called for a thorough investigation to determine whether chief minister Devendra Fadnavis was aware of the alleged plan, warning that failure to probe the matter in depth could create an impression of his involvement. “The question is whether Fadnavis knew about it or not. If he investigates the matter thoroughly, he will understand whether there was a game being played against him and Shinde,” Jarange said. He added that he was willing to extend all possible support to the chief minister to uncover the truth.He alleged that the recording suggested a planned effort to shape a narrative and target political opponents. Jarange claimed that a powerful organisation, possibly with backing from a senior leader at the national level, could be behind the alleged operation. “AI cannot be used as an escape route by BJP. Was there a conspiracy to destroy Shinde’s political career through this episode? This possibility needs to be investigated,” Jarange said.However, he did not provide evidence to substantiate these allegations.On Monday, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut wrote to Union home minister Amit Shah demanding an investigation by Enforcement Directorate and Maharashtra Police into the allegations surrounding the purported Rs 500 crore payment.“…I fervently urge you to order Maharashtra Police and Enforcement Directorate to invoke PMLA to find out who from the BJP gave Rs 500 crore to Shinde and since it did not reach Jarange, where did the money go? It is evident from the audio clip that senior members and the core team of BJP, Eknath Shinde and his son Shrikant are involved in this massive scam,” Raut alleged in the letter.Referring to reports about Raut’s letter, Jarange said he was unaware of its contents. “The allegations should be investigated by ED or another agency capable of conducting a probe without political pressure,” he added.
