Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde has denied receiving Rs 500 crore allegedly linked to Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange, as Maharashtra authorities examine the authenticity and origins of a controversial audio recording at the centre of a widening political dispute.
Shinde made his first public response to the recording on Saturday, saying he was also trying to identify the person who was allegedly given the money. “The money did not even reach me. I have the same question as Jarange,” he told reporters.
He also questioned how such a large amount could have been moved. “We were wondering how would a stash of Rs 500 crore look and how many vehicles it would need to transport,” Shinde said.
The remarks came after Jarange released the audio clip on Thursday. The recording purportedly contains conversations involving BJP functionaries and includes a woman claiming that Rs 500 crore had been delivered to the activist through Shrikant Shinde. Shinde has rejected the allegation, while Jarange has also denied receiving any payment. The alleged transaction has not been independently established.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a forensic examination of the recording. The inquiry is expected to examine whether the clip is authentic, whether it has been altered or generated using artificial intelligence, and the circumstances in which it was created and circulated. The investigation is now the formal mechanism through which the competing claims can be tested.
The controversy has generated accusations between leaders of the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, both constituents of the ruling Mahayuti alliance. BJP leaders have accused Shiv Sena UBT MP Sanjay Raut of orchestrating an AI-generated recording. Raut, in turn, has alleged that a BJP legislator leaked the clip. The report does not establish either allegation.
The recording reportedly refers to an election strategy discussed ahead of the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections. The speakers are purportedly heard discussing ways to counter Jarange’s growing political influence in the Marathwada region and the possible electoral impact of his campaign, including perceptions that the BJP was opposed to the Maratha community.
Jarange released the recording in Jalna and alleged that a conspiracy had been created to silence him and weaken the Maratha reservation agitation. He has called for a thorough investigation into the clip and the people involved.
The episode highlights the administrative challenge posed by politically consequential audio material before its authenticity has been determined. Until the forensic examination establishes the recording’s provenance and integrity, the alleged payment, the identities of the speakers and the claims of manipulation remain unresolved. The probe ordered by Fadnavis is the next official step in determining what, if anything, the recording establishes.
