Bought Pune land with white money, it is not MIDC land, says Eknath Khadse

How will you explain the charge of phone calls made from your mobile handset to Dawood Ibrahim?

I have written to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, demanding a thorough investigation into the alleged phone call. The Chief Minister has handed over the probe to the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS).

So you are not ruling out the possibility of a call being made to Dawood? If the call is not from you, how did it get recorded?

Let me make it clear that there are no reasons why I will call Dawood and vice-versa. We don’t share common business interests, or land deals…(there is) no reason. It is a wild allegation made by (Aam Aadmi Party leader) Preeti Menon. But I can demonstrate techniques where unknown calls can be made from phones without the knowledge of individuals concerned. Neither the caller nor the receiver would have any knowledge, but it gets recorded. I can prove (by showing) a call from your phone to Dawood.

But they are talking of nine calls. Has someone from your office misused your phone?

I believe it is a baseless charge. The Mumbai Police commissioner has already clarified there is no international call recorded from my mobile…. Since ATS is probing, I would not like to comment.

There is a serious charges that you have amassed assets worth Rs 10,000 crore disproportionate to your income. Also, that you bought an MIDC land worth Rs 40 crore for Rs 4 crore in Pune.

I have made an open challenge to critics to provide documents. If there is any truth in their allegations, I will immediately resign. If not, I expect my rivals to be willing to allow me to paint their faces black and face the public on (a) TV debate. I am still waiting for their response.

Anjali Damania alleged that my son-in-law (Pranjal Khewalkar) owns a foreign limousine illegally. My son-in-law bought a second-hand (Hyundai) Sonata for Rs 8 lakh. He had bought it in 2012. He became my son-in-law in 2013. So where is the question of misusing my contacts, or my funds?

In case of land in Bhosari (Pune), I bought the land legally – with white money. It is not an MIDC land. It was bought from a private owner for which ready reckoner rates and stamp duty was paid. There is no conflict of interest or illegality. Should my family members and I not have any right to own a (piece of) land?

The Anti-Corruption Bureau arrested your personal assistant, Gajanan Patil, for allegedly seeking bribe while in your office.

The ACB has already given me and my personal assistant a clean chit. The case of Patil relates to bribe negotiations for a land deal which was never under my consideration. There was no proposal, or any transaction. Moreover, my chamber and conference room is always locked when I am away.

Why do you think so many serious charges are made against you? Don’t you think there cannot be fire without smoke?

Perhaps because I am the senior-most minister, and that’s the only way (for those making the accusations) to gain centrestage. I have been in politics for 40 years. People are not foolish to vote for me. What is the credential of individuals making allegations without concrete evidence? I am serving defamation notices to Anjali Damania, Preeti Menon (both AAP), Nawab Malik (NCP), Sachin Sawant (Congress) for making false charges.

In the past, there was a similar campaign against (Union Minister) Nitin Gadkari when he was the BJP president. What was the outcome of these allegations? (They have) all stopped.

Don’t you think such developments tarnish the image of the government and the BJP?

I feel there is a section trying to get cheap publicity by making these allegations. But I still command a lot of respect in the party and they have stood my me. (Maharashtra) BJP president Raosaheb Danve supported me the same day. The chief minister gave me a clean chit the next day.

Is there any rivalry within the government ?

Vinod Tawde, Pankaja Munde, etc…we have all worked together as a team. No one sees me as competitor. Show me a single proposal or suggestion I made that was not accepted by the chief minister. I share a very cordial relationship with Fadnavis. The reports of differences (are only) in the media – they are not true.