Crisis on the way: intel warned Maharashtra govt two months ago

The failure of the Shiv Sena to gauge the mood and disgruntlement prevailing among its legislators has raised questions on the hold of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on the party. The dissension shown by Sena MLAs has also raised question marks on the ability of the State Intelligence Department (SID), which is earmarked to keep a close eye on the political developments in Maharashtra, failed to foresee the impending crisis.

Sources in the Maharashtra Police claimed that the SID had informed the government that eight to 10 of its MLAs, including Sena’s Eknath Shinde, were in touch with Opposition leaders. According to sources, the intelligence officials had given confidential information to the government around two months ago but no action was taken on it.

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The SID, which monitors possible developments in the state, provides advance notice on political developments and
movements, crimes as well as anti-social, terrorist and Maoist activities. A senior IPS officer said, “The information on political developments is often given verbally to the government.”

“In such a situation, with help from the SID, some preemptive steps should have been taken. The question, however, is whether the inputs had been provided to the government,” said an official.

Many times, the state police even gets intelligence inputs from police officers appointed as special security guards of politicians, said sources.