Mumbai: FIR over affidavits prepared in support of Uddhav-led Sena’s faction

The Election Commission had recently asked both the Shiv Sena factions to submit figures of the members each has, with their affidavits. Representation pic

The Mumbai police registered an FIR against unidentified persons on charges of cheating and forgery after recovering more than 4,500 affidavits in support of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction on Saturday. However, so far no one has been arrested. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's faction has alleged that it is a big scam by Thackeray and his faction ahead of the upcoming by-polls. However, the spokesperson of the Thackeray faction claimed that the allegation is baseless. The Election Commission had recently asked both the Shiv Sena factions to submit figures of the members each has. Each faction has to submit the numbers with their affidavits.

Outside Bandra court

The complainant, Sanjay Parshuram Kadam, found the affidavits being made outside Bandra court. In his statement to the police, Kadam said he visited the Bandra Court for some paper work related to his property around 10 days back. Outside Bandra Court he noticed a bunch of affidavits kept outside a shop. Kadam found that two workers outside the shop were signing on the affidavits and affixing the notary seal and stamp on them.

Kadam told the police, "There was nobody present in front of the workers who were making the affidavits." Kadam kept watch for around 10 days and on Saturday afternoon he informed the cops. The Nirmal Nagar police seized around 4,682 affidavits from the spot.

Senior Inspector Shrimant Shinde of Nirmal Nagar police station said, "We seized over 4,500 affidavits and are verifying whether these are fake. While preparing the affidavit the applicant should be present in front of the advocate who prepares it, but there was no such thing. We are verifying with the persons whose Aadhaar cards, photos and names are on the affidavits. On Saturday evening we registered an FIR against unknown persons for cheating and forgery under sections 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 465 (Punishment for forgery) of the IPC.

Also Read: Maharashtra: What the Shiv Sena freeze means for the two camps

Blame game starts

Speaking to mid-day, the Shinde group spokesperson Sheetal Mhatre said, "Uddhav Thackeray and his workers have indulged in the malpractice of preparing fake affidavits and submitting them to the Election Commission office. Nirmal Nagar police have registered an FIR in this case. The police also found that there were fake IDs, fake Aadhaar cards and photos used to make affidavits and no one was present when the affidavits were prepared. Lawyers have fled after this FIR was registered. We are assuming that this is a big scam for election purposes. This has not only happened in Mumbai but across Maharashtra. We also wrote a letter to the government seeking an in depth investigation in this case and demanded arrest of all the accused involved."

Thackeray faction spokesperson Harshal Pradhan said, "We are being framed. The Shinde group is defaming Uddhav Thackeray and party to gain political mileage. Our party has good support and we will win the upcoming election. We will answer them with our election results. We have won the hearts of Mumbaikars and of people across Maharashtra."