SIT Report Exposes Alleged Attempt to Falsely Implicate Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde

Mumbai, Jan 2026 : A recently submitted Special Investigation Team (SIT) report to the Maharashtra Home Department has triggered a fresh wave of political and administrative controversy in the state. The report alleges that an old 2016 police case in Thane district was deliberately reopened during the previous government’s tenure to falsely implicate current Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, then Leader of the Opposition, and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who was a minister in the Uddhav Thackeray-led administration.

Compiled after months of investigation by the SIT under the leadership of former DGP Rashmi Shukla, the report claims that the case reopening was not a routine legal procedure but part of a coordinated effort targeting senior politicians. According to the findings, several police officers were reportedly pressured to manipulate the investigation to justify action against Fadnavis and Shinde, despite the absence of concrete evidence implicating them.

The SIT’s final report recommends criminal action against former Maharashtra Director General of Police Sanjay Pandey and two other senior officers allegedly involved in the case. Investigators cited multiple discrepancies in internal communications, recorded conversations, and official records as evidence of undue influence and political interference.

A significant aspect of the inquiry involved reviewing audio recordings provided by the original complainant. These recordings allegedly captured discussions among senior police officials about how to proceed with the case, including explicit mention of targeting political leaders. The SIT concluded that such conversations raised serious questions about abuse of power and politicisation of policing.

The underlying case relates to a land and partnership dispute between businessmen Shyam Sundar Agarwal and Sanjay Punamia. Although initially investigated and filed in court in 2017, the case was abruptly reopened in 2021 under the direction of then-DGP Sanjay Pandey. The SIT report suggests that this reopening was motivated by political objectives rather than legal necessity.

Following a change in government and the rise of the BJP-Shiv Sena Mahayuti alliance, Sanjay Punamia alleged that Sanjay Pandey attempted to extort money by manipulating the case. This complaint led to an FIR against Pandey and others in 2024. During investigations, ACP Sardar Patil confessed that senior officials had pressured him to implicate Fadnavis and Shinde.

The allegations were subsequently raised in the Maharashtra Legislative Council by BJP leader Praveen Darekar, prompting the state government to constitute the SIT under Rashmi Shukla. After months of detailed inquiry, Shukla submitted the report shortly before her retirement, recommending criminal proceedings against Pandey and other officers involved in the alleged conspiracy to target top political leaders.

The report has intensified political debate in the state, with many parties and observers closely watching how the current government addresses the findings, as they raise critical concerns regarding misuse of state machinery for political ends.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)