The Maharashtra Chief Minister today asked BJP MP Kirit Somaiya to approach authorities concerned with the documents alleging money laundering by Sena leaders through shell companies instead of "using them for politics".
"Allegations made by BJP MP Kirit Somaiya are serious. He has shown documents pertaining to some companies. He has said that money laundering has taken place in these companies," Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.
"Somaiya asked (Sena chief) Uddhav Thackeray if any Sena leaders are linked with these companies. I have asked Somaiya to forward these documents to appropriate authorities instead of using them for politics. I told him that he is an MP and appropriate authority will act on his charges," he said.
"If money laundering has taken place, why will the inquiry not take place? It will take place," Fadnavis told a Marathi news channel.
Somaiya, Lok Sabha member from Mumbai North East, had last week levelled the allegation against Uddhav, in the backdrop of the grim fight between the Sena and the BJP in the civic polls across the state, including Mumbai corporation.
Asked if he meant that inquiry against Uddhav will take place on the lines of the ED probe against NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal, Fadnavis shot back saying "Have I mentioned his (Uddhav's) name?"
Somaiya has been demanding that Uddhav declare his financial assets and has alleged that Sena leaders, including Uddhav, had links with shell companies indulging in money laundering.
Last week, he asked the Shiv Sena to come clean on whether its leaders laundered money through a web of shell companies. He listed seven such companies and also challenged Uddhav to make all his financial transactions public.
Hitting back, the Sena alleged that Somaiya had links with the National Stock Exchange Limited (NSEL) scam and he "pressurised" the Prime Minister's Office to stop an inquiry against him.
"Somaiya has links with NSEL scam and he brought pressure on Prime Minister's Office (PMO)," Shiv Sena MP Rahul Shewale alleged last week, responding to Somaiya's charges against Thackeray.
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