Mumbai: Maharashtra Minister and Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) leader Sanjay Shirsat has finally responded to the viral video that shows him sitting casually beside a bag allegedly filled with cash at his residence. The footage, which has sparked outrage and debate across political circles and social media, shows Shirsat dressed informally, smoking a cigarette, with a pet dog nearby — while a bag full of money lies openly in the room.
Shirsat has dismissed the video as a politically motivated conspiracy and claimed that the video was secretly recorded by someone spying on him inside his home. Speaking to the media, Shirsat said, “This is a well-thought-out conspiracy. I was sitting comfortably at home, and even my dog was there. Someone recorded this and released it. This means someone was keeping watch on us.”
The minister further defended the informal setting, saying that his home is always open to visitors and staff, and it is his habit to offer tea and food to everyone who comes. “We are such people that anyone who visits our home eats food and drinks tea. We have workers around us. One of them might be an agent. But we are not worried. We’ve never noticed anything suspicious,” he added.
Questioning the logic of the allegations, Shirsat said, “Have you ever seen anyone openly sitting with cash like this in their own house? It’s not natural. That’s why we believe this is a deliberate attempt to malign our image.”
The video had surfaced shortly after Shirsat received a notice from the Income Tax Department regarding alleged disproportionate assets between 2019 and 2024.
