BJP delegation meets Union Home Secretary, demands action for attack on Kirit Somaiya

The BJP leader also requested Bhalla to review the security system so that such attacks could be avoided.

While stating that he had elaborately briefed the incident that took place in Pune, Somaiya said, “Almost 100 sainiks swooped on me and started physically attacking me. I fell down on the stairs but they continued their attack. What is more shocking is when we informed the Pune Police, they did not take necessary action. It (the matter) is being treated lightly.”

“Pune Commissioner Amitabh Gupta should be held accountable and he should also explain the reasons for the security lapses,” Somaiya said, adding, “The entire incident was plotted to intimidate me as I was exposing corruption at Covid centres worth Rs 100 crore.”

Somaiya said, “During the Covid pandemic, the national disaster management authority had declared a medical emergency. The state government and BMC had sanctioned seven jumbo Covid centres to one private company which is close to a Shiv Sena leader. Later, it was noted that there was no such company and it was blacklisted. Since I am pursuing this case, sainiks are taking orders from the top leadership and physically attacking me with the intention to kill me.”

Yet, Somaiya said, “after the attack I went to PMC and submitted complaint against Sujeet Patkar Lifeline Hospital Management which is close to Sanjay Rauts’s family.”

“The Home Secretary, after listening to our briefing, assured both these issues would be thoroughly probed and action taken,” Somaiya said.

Earlier in the day, Mumbai state BJP president Chandrakant Patil made a scathing attack against the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. Coming in defence of Somaiya, Patil said, “The attack on Somaiya was goondagiri by Sena. They are afraid that Somaiya is exposing corruption in the government.”