Pune Residents Accuse Eknath Shinde of Alleged Discrepancies in Poll Affidavits

The plea said that the Maharashtra CM didn't disclose farmland while contesting the 2009 and 2014 Assembly election.

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde

(Photo Courtesy: Eknath Shinde/Twitter)

Two residents of Maharashtra's Pune filed a 'private complaint' in a court seeking the registration of a criminal case against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for alleged discrepancies in election affidavits.

The complainants alleged that the CM did not reveal information regarding the purchase of farmland in his wife's name when he contested the Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2009 and 2014, news agency PTI reported.

The complaint was lodged by Abhishek Haridas and Abhijit Khedkar through their advocate earlier this month.

Khedkar demanded that a case be registered against Shinde under Sections 199 (false statement made in declaration which is by law receiva­ble as evidence) and 200 (using as true such declaration knowing it to be false) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Representation of the People Act.

"Our application alleges that there are several discrepancies in the election affidavits filed by Shinde before the state election commission in 2014 and 2019 (Assembly) elections," Khedkar said.

He claimed that in his 2009 and 2014 poll affidavits, Shinde had not disclosed farmland purchased in his wife's name, and had said in 2019 that his wife had purchased the land in Thane's Chikhalgaon in 2009.

"There were also discrepancies about the cost of vehicles mentioned in various poll affidavits," the complainant further alleged.

His advocate, on the other hand, said, "The matter is now kept for verification and recording of evidence on August 17."

(With inputs from PTI.)