Mumbai: Probe into ‘fake affidavits’ case transferred to crime branch

Meanwhile, the ECI has issued an interim order of freezing Shiv Sena party symbol as the legal dispute between the two factions of party over being "real Shiv Sena" is still unsettled.

Shiv Sena Dussehra rally at Dadar, in Mumbai, Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022. (PTI File Photo)

The probe into the cheating and forgery case registered by Mumbai police after recovering more than 4,500 affidavits being prepared allegedly in support of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction has been transferred to the Mumbai crime branch. A senior officer said the probe has been handed over to the crime branch and the necessary paperwork from Nirmal Nagar police station will be handed over to the crime branch on Monday.

Also Read: | Why has the Election Commission frozen the Shiv Sena’s symbol?

The FIR was registered at Nirmal Nagar on Saturday under Indian Penal Code Sections 420 (cheating) and 465 (forgery) after they recovered the affidavits from a notary wherein important details such as Aadhaar cards of the Shiv Sena supporters were attached.

As per the FIR, the complainant had gone to a Bandra court where he found two persons with a massive bundle of affidavits to which they were affixing the notary seal and stamp. Based on this, the police seized all the affidavits and registered an offence against unidentified persons, as a person getting an affidavit prepared needs to remain physically present before the notary.

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Also Read: | EC order on Shiv Sena name and symbol doesn’t mean Thackeray faction weak or demoralised: NCP

A crime branch officer said they will go through the individual affidavits prepared in support of the Thackeray faction and find out if the people, whose names were mentioned on them, actually exist. The police will also verify whether these supporters had nominated someone to prepare and notarise these affidavits on their behalf. Former Thane mayor Naresh Mhaske, who is the spokesperson of the other Sena faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, had in a video message on Saturday claimed the Mumbai Police had found 4,682 ‘fake’ affidavits and registered a criminal case against unidentified persons based on a complaint.

He thanked the police and criticised the Uddhav faction over the alleged malpractice for the submission of affidavits before the Election Commission, in the wake of a dispute with the Shinde faction over the party’s poll symbol.

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