Maharashtra: Government forms SIT to probe circulating 'morphed' video of Shinde faction leaders 'kissing'

The Maharashtra Government on Monday announced a probe by a special investigation team (SIT) into the case of 'morphed' video of Shinde faction MLA Prakash Surve and spokesperson Sheetal Mhatre.

Cabinet Minister Shambhuraje Desai said that five people, including Sainath Durge – a close associate of Aaditya Thackeray – have been arrested for allegedly making the video viral.

Surve can be seen purportedly kissing Mhatre in the video

In the visuals, Surve can be seen purportedly kissing Mhatre during a political rally which was attended by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and BJP MP Gopal Shetty on Sunday evening. Surve and Mhatre have labelled the objectionable video as fake.

The SIT probe move comes after women MLAs Yamini Jadhav, Manisha Choudhari and Bharati Lavhekar vehemently raised the issue in the assembly, while terming it as gross disrespect to women political activists. Demanding a time-bound probe into the matter, they asserted the video violated the sanctity of the house as it revolves around Surve, an MLA. After a heated debate, speaker Rahul Narvekar gave directions to the State Government to make a statement over the issue.

Hence, minister Desai stated, “An SIT led by a senior IPS officer will be constituted to probe the incident. Besides five arrests, four mobile phones and five SIM cards have been seized by the police.”

Mhatra alleges Uddhav Sena behind the act

Meanwhile, Mhatre submitted a complaint to joint commissioner of police (law and order) Satyanarayan Choudhary on Monday. She alleged that two unknown persons followed her car on Monday at around 3.30 pm when she was travelling from her mother’s house at Shivaji Park to Balasaheb Bhavan near Mantralaya. She said the duo kept trailing her car for sometime and later came, stood next to her car and mumbled while pointing fingers at her. The police guard travelling with her then looked at them and they fled after getting intimidated, she said.

“For my safety, I have kept the police informed about this incident by submitting the letter today. I do not have to repeat it, but I have already told earlier who, according to me, is behind all these criminal activities,” she said, while tacitly referring to Uddhav Sena.