Video surfaces of UBT Sena office bearer partying with Dawood aide; Maha govt orders SIT probe

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 15 : A controversy erupted following the alleged video of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sudhakar Badgujar partying with 1993 Mumbai blast accused Salim Kutta went viral, after which the Maharashtra government announced a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the matter.
The announcement came in after BJP legislator and UBT sena bete noire Nitesh Rane revealed the issue during the ongoing winter session of the state assembly in Nagpur.
Earlier today, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Nitesh Rane during the legislative session made serious allegations against Uddhav Thackeray group office-bearer Sudhakar Badgujar in Nashik by showing some photos with Salim Kutta, the close aide of the 1993 bomb blast accused Dawood Ibrahim.
Rane asserted that he possessed video evidence to substantiate his claims and displayed a pen drive to reporters present outside the Nagpur Vidhan Bhawan.
"Salim Kutta the close aide of the 1993 bomb blast accused Dawood Ibrahim during his parole organised a party and leaders of Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena were reportedly present. I have the videos of the party...It all should be investigated," Rane said.
Rane showed the photos of Badgujar with Salim Kutta and demanded action against the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader.
"Salim Kutta the close aide of the 1993 bomb blast accused Dawood Ibrahim had organised a party while he was on parole. He was seen partying with Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena leader from Nashik. I have submitted the photo and video evidence of it on the floor of the House...Our demand is that if such things are being done with terrorists and bomb blast accused the leader must be arrested. His links with all this should be investigated...The Home Minister and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis have declared SIT probe & the investigation will start soon," he added.
"If political leaders associate themselves with terrorists, our state and country will not be safe," he said.
The BJP National Spokesperson, Shehzad Poonawalla, shared a post on X and the video of the said party.
"Video of 'party' of (UBT) sena leader Sudhakar Badgujar with Salim Mira Shaikh alias Salim Kutta a 1993 serial bomb blast convict and an aide of underworld gangster Dawood Ibrahim. The nexus of this alliance and grouping with anti-nationals runs very deep, Maharashtra government has ordered SIT. Will Uddhav ji sack this neta or was this neta doing some deal with this terrorist on behalf of Indi alliance?" Shehzad Poonawala posted on X.
Moreover, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole said that Dawood Ibrahim is a wanted criminal in our country. He is a terrorist. Whoever is with him is an anti-national.
"What rights does the BJP have to demand whatever they are demanding by showing a photo? Those who have connections and partnerships with Iqbal Mirchi can sit with them...BJP should first introspect and later demand," he added.
Meanwhile, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) leader Jitendra Awhad reacted over the issue and said that the government, just to give political colours and make it a dubious suspicious issue, should raise questions that show your intellect.
"A friend of my mine commits some murder out of some out of some rage, some anger. Am I risk responsible for it? If somebody's seen dancing somewhere in the club, am I responsible for it? Just to give political colours and make it a dubious suspicious issue, you raise questions that show your intellect. The government takes everything seriously when it comes to a position. What's great about that?... Is Aaditya Thackeray there? So, if Aaditya Thackeray is not present there, how can people ask him a question?" Awhad said.
Salim was found guilty of taking part in the plot that resulted in the 1993 serial blasts and of distributing explosives and ammunition.
On March 12, 1993, Mumbai (then Bombay) was rocked by a series of bomb blasts which killed 257 persons, injured more than 700 persons and destroyed property worth approximately Rs 27 crore. The case was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the request of the state government.
A number of accused persons were convicted in the case including Mustafa Dossa and Abu Salem on June 16, 2017. Wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim allegedly planned the attacks.