Mumbai: Just days ahead of the state assembly polls, ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s minister Sambhaji Nilangekar-Patil is trapped in controversy as his name has surfaced in connection with a honey trap racket that was busted in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh state. Former MP Chief Minister Digvijay Singh has alleged that the accused Shweta Jain was in contact with Nilangekar-Patil when he was state president of Maharashtra Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) and favoured Shweta by recently approving a project of Skill Development being minister of this portfolio. However, Nilangekar and his staff did not respond to thenews21 when contacted for his reaction.
The Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of MP busted the honey trap scandal recently. Digvijay Singh, senior Congress leader alleged that when Jitu Jirati was the state president of BJYM in MP, Shweta Vijay Jain was the party general secretary. Singh also hinted that a minister in Maharashtra has joined the case. He pointed to Maharashtra minister Sambhaji Nilangekar’s involvement in the case. Singh alleged that Nilangekar who is currently a minister in the Devendra Fadnavis government was the state president of the Maharashtra BJYM ‘at that time.
“When Shweta’s video went viral, with whom was she in Maharashtra?” Singh asked. He also asked to find out what was the relation between Shweta and Nilangekar. Meanwhile, Jirati rubbished allegations made by Singh. He said, “Shweta Jain was not the general secretary of the party when I was state president of the BYJM.”
When thenews21 tried to contact minister Sambhaji Nilangekar, his phone was switched off. His Personal Assistant (PA) Sankhye gave a number of other PA Suhas Joshi who was travelling with the minister. However, Joshi too did not respond to call and text message.
What is Honey Trap Racket?
It’s a high profile extortion racket which was involved in blackmailing politicians and government officials. During investigation by police revealed that the gang was in touch with 40 call girls who helped them lure and trap victims. Sources said that half a dozen senior politicians, at least 10 IAS and IPS officers, civic engineers and builders were trapped by the gang in the last few years.
