BJP’s Kirit Somaiya in ‘sex video’ aired by TV channel, probe on

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a high-level probe into the matter after it was raised in the Vidhan Parishad by Ambadas Danve and Anil Parab of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena.

“It is indeed a serious issue. We will conduct a detailed inquiry. The woman in the video will be identified. Police will be told. Nobody will be protected. A senior-level probe will be conducted,” Fadnavis said.

Hours later, the Home department instructed the Mumbai Crime Branch to probe the matter. Sources said the Crime Branch has written to the Lokshahi channel, and asked for the unedited videos.

Earlier, in the House, Danve handed over a pen drive of what he claimed were eight hours of videos that featured Somaiya.

“A leader who claims to be close to ED, CBI… I have some videos of him. I salute the woman who gave me the videos. The person has CISF protection. Whether the woman was being extorted? Eight hours of videos are there with me in the pen drive. Will give it to the Deputy Chairperson. Incident of women being extorted has come to the fore. The leader’s name is Kirit Somaiya,” Danve said.

“Many people have gone to prison because of him. He enjoys CISF protection from the Central government. Will the government act against him and remove his security? Please provide the pen drive to the Home department for inquiry,” he said, amid chants of shame from Opposition leaders.

Vidhan Parishad Deputy Chairperson Neelam Gorhe said, “The pen drive that you have given… Watching it will be a big test for me. I will ask lady officers and lady doctors to watch it and give their opinion… I also hope the woman comes forward and gives a complaint to us.”

When BJP leader Chandrakant Patil said the name of the leader should not be mentioned, Parab said because of “this person”, families of so many people have been harassed by Central agencies.

“The truth of the video should come out. We should find out who the woman is and an SIT should probe the matter. You say, you are a party with a difference. We should find out if the woman was being blackmailed… This seems to be extortion for sex,” Parab said.

“Somaiya said I have not harassed any woman but didn’t say the video was fake. I request the Home Minister to conduct a probe. His security should be removed… because of these things he is emboldened,” he said.

Earlier in the day, Somaiya wrote to Fadnavis, seeking an inquiry into the authenticity of the videos being aired on the Marathi news channel since Monday evening.

In a Twitter post Tuesday morning, Somaiya said, “A video clip of me was shown on a news channel. Claimed that I have harassed many women & many such video clips available & complaints received against me. I have never abused any woman. Request @Dev_Fadnavis to investigate such allegations and verify the authenticity of videos.”

Soon after the video clip was beamed by the Lokshahi channel, several leaders of the Shiv Sena-UBT and NCP faction loyal to Sharad Pawar criticised Somaiya. They alleged that there were several such videos and the video aired by the news channel was just one of the many videos.

In recent years, Somaiya has targeted Opposition leaders over alleged scams and wrongdoing, approaching authorities with demands for action against leaders of the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress who were part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government between 2019 and 2022.

The agencies Somaiya approached included the Enforcement Directorate, Economic Offences Wing, Anti-Corruption Bureau, Registrar of Companies, Income Tax Department, Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority, Serious Fraud Investigation Office. On social media, he would post updates on the status of the probes.