The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Mumbai has made a significant demand, calling for a narcoanalysis test on former city police commissioner Sanjay Pandey. The party alleges he was central to a conspiracy to falsely implicate then Opposition leader, and now Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, during the tenure of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.
The Alleged Conspiracy and Key Accusations
Mumbai BJP president Ameet Satam, addressing reporters on Saturday, presented a series of serious allegations. He claimed that during the MVA regime led by then Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, a plot was orchestrated to have Devendra Fadnavis arrested on fabricated charges. According to Satam, former police chief Sanjay Pandey was instructed to execute this plan and subsequently assigned the task to two police officers.
Satam named the officers as Laxmikant Patil and Sardar Patil. He alleged they were approached and pressured to find or create a case to frame Fadnavis, who was the leader of the opposition in the state legislative assembly at the time. Satam linked this alleged conspiracy to a broader pattern of misconduct, referencing shocking incidents involving police officials like Sachin Waze during the MVA rule.
Basis for the Demand and Call for Probe
The BJP leader stated that all details of this alleged plot are documented in a report submitted by former Director General of Police (DGP) Rashmi Shukla to the government. This report was filed just five days before her retirement. Citing the gravity of the matter, Satam called for a thorough investigation.
"I urge the government to do a narco test of Sanjay Pandey," Satam asserted. He emphasized that it is crucial to identify who gave Pandey the orders, stating, "It is necessary to know at whose behest Pandey was carrying out the work to frame Fadnavis in false cases. The real mastermind behind this should be brought to the public."
Context and Political Backdrop
This demand adds a new chapter to Maharashtra's turbulent political landscape. In 2019, Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena broke its alliance with the BJP to form the MVA government with the Congress and the NCP, pushing the BJP into opposition. The political equations shifted again in 2022 when Eknath Shinde split the Shiv Sena and became Chief Minister with BJP support, making Fadnavis the Deputy Chief Minister.
Satam also noted that Sanjay Pandey is currently out on bail and is himself under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the NSE co-location scam, with the matter pending in court. The BJP's demand intensifies the ongoing political feud and raises questions about the use of state machinery during the previous administration.
These allegations first gained public attention in 2023 when Fadnavis himself revealed there had been a conspiracy to frame him in false cases and have him imprisoned. The BJP's latest move seeks to force a judicial or investigative resolution to these long-standing claims.
