Mumbai, April 5 Maharashtra minister Uday Samant responded to the CDR leak issue in the Ashok Kharat case on Sunday by stating that a feeling was gaining traction among people that political obstacles were being created for "a person from a common background," a reference to Deputy Chief Minister and his party leader Eknath Shinde.
Activist Anjali Damania alleged on Friday that at least 17 calls were exchanged between Shinde and arrested self-proclaimed godman Ashok Kharat during an unspecified period in the past. Damania claimed she received Kharat's CDR (Call Detail Records) on WhatsApp from an unknown number.
"It is wrong to create such political obstacles for a person from a common background. This feeling will resonate with people," Samant said in response to a question related to the alleged calls between Shinde and Kharat.
Samant, who met NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar here, said even his party could feel that its leaders are being targeted.
Samant asserted that such allegations would not affect Shinde's work or leadership.
"People's affection for Shinde will only increase," he said, emphasizing that the entire episode involving the CDR should be thoroughly investigated instead of naming specific individuals.
Shinde is the third-highest-ranking leader of the NDA and is seen as the voice of the common man, he added.
Speaking in Nashik on Sunday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the leak of call data records (CDR) would be investigated, and strict action would be taken.
"No one has the right to access call data records (CDRs); only authorized agencies may do so. How this data was leaked and by whom will be investigated by the state government," Fadnavis said.
He also said that mere allegations are not sufficient in sensitive cases, adding that action would be taken on the basis of solid evidence.
Kharat was arrested on March 18 for allegedly raping a woman for three years, with a subsequent investigation uncovering a host of crimes, including sexual assault and financial irregularities linked to land and other properties.
