Manoj Jarange
Industries minister Uday Samant said voice samples must be sent to a forensic laboratory to verify their authenticity. Jarange described the recording as an evidence of a conspiracy to weaken the Maratha reservation movement and alleged sustained attempts over the past three years to discredit him. He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi , chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy CM Eknath Shinde to order an investigation. He also threatened further disclosures if the alleged conspiracy continued. Shiv Sena members demanded a forensic examination of the audio clip.
Former minister Ramdas Kadam questioned why Jarange had withheld the recording for two years, claiming it dated back to Oct 14, 2024. On Wednesday, deputy CM Shinde, speaking with reporters in New Delhi, had dared Jarange to prove his allegation regarding payment of Rs 500 crore. Talking to reporters, Shinde had said no one had been paid (or had received) Rs 500 crore.
There should be a thorough inquiry,” he said. State minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said Jarange should file a complaint over his allegation about payment of Rs 500 crore, assuring a “thorough and impartial” probe if evidence was submitted. Talking to reporters over the issue in Jalna, Bawankule said, “If Jarange has concrete evidence regarding the alleged Rs 500 crore payment (as mentioned in the) audio clip and the conspiracy to implicate him, he should register an official complaint with the police or the district collector instead of speaking only to the media. ” Meanwhile, Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal demanded an Enforcement Directorate investigation into the alleged money trail. He should furnish proof to the agencies concerned and this matter should be probed,” Shinde said.
Sena MP Naresh Mhaske urged Jarange to submit the clip to police and the cyber cell, saying the identities of those heard in the clip must be verified. Terming the audio clip put out by Jarange absolutely fake, IT minister Ashish Shelar also sought an inquiry into the clip’s origins and authenticity. “How it was leaked….how did it reach Jarange and why has he brought it out now… BJP spokesperson Navnath Ban suggested it could be AI-generated. “He (Jarange) should have verified facts before speaking.