Mumbai Police form SIT to probe audio clip alleging Rs 500 crore payment

Mumbai, Oct 26 : Mumbai Police have formed a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the authenticity and origin of an audio clip released by Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil, which allegedly claims that Rs 500 crore was paid to him through Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde, son of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

The move follows directives from Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to the Mumbai Police Commissioner amid escalating political tensions within the ruling Mahayuti alliance over the recording.

The SIT will be headed by Additional Commissioner of Police Shailesh Balkawde, with Deputy Commissioners of Police Vijaykant Sagar and Bajrang Bansode as members.

The team will conduct a forensic examination of the audio clips, trace their origin, verify their authenticity and identify the voices heard in the conversations. It will also examine the recording's technical details and possible conspiracies surrounding its release.

Jarange Patil has rejected suggestions that the audio was generated using artificial intelligence, insisting that it is authentic. He has called for a thorough investigation into the alleged financial transaction and the people behind the recording.

The controversy has triggered a political war of words between the BJP and its ally, the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde.

Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam has alleged a conspiracy to politically target the deputy chief minister and questioned whether some BJP leaders were attempting to undermine him because of his growing popularity. Kadam circulated photographs purportedly showing BJP leader Prasad Lad dining with Jarange Patil and said he had sought a high-level probe by writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Fadnavis and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.

State Industries Minister and Shinde Sena leader Uday Samant also alleged that people linked to the BJP were involved in the conversation and claimed the recording was intended to defame Shinde.

The BJP has rejected the allegations. BJP leader and MLC Pravin Darekar warned against making accusations against an alliance partner while remaining part of the government. He questioned why the BJP would seek to undermine Shinde, noting that the party had backed him for the chief minister's post after the previous elections.

BJP MLC Prasad Lad also cautioned Kadam against statements that could damage the alliance.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has written to Shah seeking an Enforcement Directorate investigation into the alleged Rs 500 crore transaction, questioning the source and destination of the money.

Fadnavis has questioned why conversations allegedly dating back more than two years surfaced now and said the investigation would establish the facts and identify those responsible.

The BJP has alleged that the audio is fabricated and AI-generated, accusing Raut of orchestrating a campaign to create divisions within the ruling alliance.

The allegations remain unverified, and the SIT is expected to examine the recording before drawing conclusions.