Video Shows Shinde Sena Minister Sanjay Shirsat With Bag Full of Cash, Sparks Political Row in Maharashtra
A fresh political storm erupted in Maharashtra on Friday after Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut shared a video purportedly showing Shinde Sena minister Sanjay Shirsat sitting beside a bag stuffed with cash at his residence, just a day after the Income Tax department served Shirsat a notice.
The video, shared on social media by Raut, shows Shirsat, who serves as Maharashtra’s Social Justice Minister, sitting in his bedroom smoking a cigarette with an open bag filled with currency notes placed beside him. Another suitcase and a pet dog are also visible in the clip, which quickly gained traction across platforms.
Tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in his post, Raut wrote in Hindi, “This thrilling video should be watched by the honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah! What’s going on in the country!”
When contacted, Shirsat alleged a conspiracy and claimed he had no knowledge of the cash seen in the video. Speaking to India Today TV, he said, “I had come back from a trip and was sitting in my bedroom with my pet dog. Maybe someone shot the video at that time. I do not know about the money. If I had to keep so much money, I would have kept it in the cupboard. Someone must have filmed it to create a narrative.”
The controversy surfaced a day after Shirsat, who represents Aurangabad (West), confirmed receiving an Income Tax notice and said he would soon respond to the agency’s queries. “Some people complained, and the Income Tax department took note of it. We have asked for time for replying to the notice and will clarify our position,” Shirsat told reporters, asserting that he was under no pressure and would cooperate with the authorities.
The video has intensified the political slugfest in Maharashtra, where another Shinde Sena MLA, Sanjay Gaikwad, is facing police action after being caught on video assaulting a canteen worker at the MLA hostel in Mumbai. The incidents have placed the Shinde Sena and its Mahayuti alliance partner, the BJP, under scrutiny.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, reacting to the earlier Gaikwad incident, had assured that the law would take its course. However, the opposition has demanded strict action and transparency regarding the cash video, questioning the credibility of leaders in power.
The timing of the video leak, following the tax notice, has raised questions within political circles about potential factional disputes and attempts to corner leaders within the Shinde Sena ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections next year.
