Congress backs Kapil Sharma, says he must have some evidence behind his allegations

The Congress Party on Saturday backed Kapil Sharma's bribe allegations against the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials, saying there must be some ground on which the comedian was making such accusations.

"Kapil Sharma has not been bitten by an insect so that he would make such allegations. He must have proof behind his allegations. Now he is being told that the construction that he was carrying out was illegal. If that is the case, how was till now the office was being constructed?" Congress leader Meem Afzal told ANI.

"I want to ask if the BMC had to stop the construction work of the office, then how is it possible that the construction till now took place? What was the need for Kapil Sharma to allege that he was asked to pay a bribe of Rs. five lakhs?" he added.

Lashing out at Kapil Sharma over his bribe allegations against BMC officials, the Shiv Sena has said that the comedian was carrying out an illegal construction and, therefore, an action should be initiated against him first and then after it should be seen whether he was asked for a bribe or not.

Sharma, who is facing the ire of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena and Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), had yesterday insisted that he just "voiced his concern on the corruption he faced" and did not "blame any political party."

"I just voiced my concern on the corruption I faced with certain individuals..Its No blame on any political party be it BJP, MNS or Shiv Sena," Sharma said in a tweet.

The MNS had earlier on Friday threatened Sharma to prove bribe allegations against BMC officials or face action.

"Kapil Sharma said that a MNS worker asked for bribe to legalize his under construction building, we challenge him to prove his allegations. If he is unable to prove his allegations then we won't allow him to shoot in Mumbai till he apologises to us," Maharashtra Navnirman Sena's (MNS) Chitrapat Sena President Amey Khopkar said.

On Friday morning, a frustrated Kapil Sharma tweeted about being asked to pay Rs 5 lakh as bribe to Mumbai civic body BMC for getting his office made. He also tagged Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying, 'Yeh hai aapke acche din?' (Kapil Sharma asks PM Narendra Modi 'ye hai aapke acche din', Devendra Fadnavis takes action)

He also mentioned that he has paid Rs 15 crore as tax. "I am paying 15 cr income tax from last 5 year n still i have to pay 5 lacs bribe to BMC office for making my office @narendramodi." (Kapil Sharma tweeted he paid Rs 15 cr as tax. This is how much he earns)

Retaliating against Sharma's allegations, the civic body officials had said that the demolition work was carried out in accordance with all the rules and regulations.

BMC vigilance chief engineer Manohar Pawar and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis have both responded to Sharma and assured that they are looking into the matter.

While Pawar asked Sharma to make a formal complaint and name the officer who demanded bribe from him, the Chief Minister responded to his tweet asking for the name.