As political mercury keeps surging in Maharashtra over the tussle between two Shiv Sena factions, Uddhav faction's MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday made shocking revelations, claiming that he has been receiving death threats at the behest of the Eknath Shinde faction.
Raut claimed a contract to kill him has been given by CM Shinde's son and MP Shrikant Shinde.
In a letter dated February 21 to Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, Raut wrote: "According to the information I have received, a notorious gangster from Thane, Raja Thakur and his gang have been given the contract to attack by Shrikant Shinde. Looking at the current situation in Maharashtra, this issue needs to be brought to your attention."
As Raut invokes name of Raja Thakur, here is what we know about him.
Gangster Raja Thakur |
𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗶𝘀 𝗥𝗮𝗷𝗮 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗸𝘂𝗿
Raja Thakur is a notorious gangster from Mumbai's Thane, Kalwa and Mumbra areas. It is alleged that many crimes have been committed through his gangs like murder. Several murder charges have been leveled against him and his men. Cases have also been filed in this regard. Raja Thakur has enmity with Deepak Patil group. Earlier, he has appeared in many public events of CM's son Shrikant Shinde.
𝗢𝗻 𝗯𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗸 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝗺𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲
In January 2011, Deepak Patil was brutally murdered under the Vitawa Bridge in Kalwa on the Thane-Belapur road. The main accused in this killing was Ravichand Thakur alias Raja Thakur. Raja Thakur was sentenced to life imprisonment in this case. But he was released on bail in April 2019.
Raja Thakur allegedly seen with MP Shrikant Shinde in an old picture. |
Meanwhile, in the wake of the assembly elections, Raja Thakur absconded without appearing before the police again. After this, in October 2019, a team of Senior Police Inspector Rajkumar Kothmire of the Thane Crime Branch's Anti-Extortion Squad laid a trap and shackled Raja Thakur at Sai Dhaba in Yeur. After that, Thakur, who was released on bail again, got the royal shelter of the Eknath group, said a Loksatta report. During this period, Raja Thakur identified himself as a close associate of MP Srikant Shinde and again created terror in Thane. Meanwhile, two weeks ago, on the occasion of Shinde father and son's birthday, Thakur organized a grand Kabaddi tournament and put up banners all over the city wishing Shinde, Loksatta reported.
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