The Dhule bribery allegation has rocked Maharashtra’s political landscape after Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut publicly revealed that over ₹5.5 crore in cash was discovered in Room No. 102 of a government rest house in Dhule. The explosive revelation has prompted Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to order a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the matter, raising serious concerns about potential corruption within the legislative machinery.
Raut said that the money was supposed to sway members of the Maharashtra legislature’s Estimates Committee during their official visit to Dhule. Raut wrote a long message on social media site X (previously Twitter) saying that even though he told the district collector, the superintendent of police, and the anti-corruption bureau, nothing happened for hours. “The administration didn’t help.” “This money was meant to hide evidence of corruption in development projects,” Raut claimed.
The Dhule bribery claim is aimed at people who are trying to protect authorities who have misused public money. Raut said that the room with the cash was closed and watched over by Shiv Sena (UBT) personnel and former MLA Anil Anna Gote. He also said that the identity of the individual who booked the room needs to be fully examined.
Arjun Khotkar, a Shiv Sena MLA, is in charge of the Estimates Committee, which is on a review visit. It looks into how different parts of the state are spending their budget money. Khotkar, on the other hand, has denied any involvement and said that neither he nor his personal assistant rented Room No. 102. “We were in a different room.” He said, “These claims have no basis.”
Fadnavis, the Chief Minister and Home Minister, was quite worried about the bribery claim in Dhule. He told the reporters that it was important to be open and responsible. “The whole truth must come out.” He remarked, “We can’t let anything hurt the dignity of the House or its committees.” Fadnavis also said he will ask the Speaker of the Assembly and the Chairperson of the Council to set up separate ethics committees to look into the subject more.
“Legislative committees must work without any doubt. The Chief Minister said, “It’s important to keep public institutions’ credibility.”
Shrikant Dhivare, the Dhule Superintendent of Police, has acknowledged that an investigation is going on. Preliminary checks and gathering of evidence are still going on, and the part that everyone who booked the room and had access to it will be looked into.
The claim of bribery in Dhule has caused strong political reactions. Opposition leaders have asked for resignations and tougher measures to fight corruption. Civil society has asked for stricter rules on how the government spends money.
This controversy is more than just a problem in one place; it shows how serious Maharashtra is about eliminating corruption. The SIT’s findings will be very important for restoring public trust because there is ₹5.5 crore in cash tied to government oversight.
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