MVA demands independent probe into allegations by Amruta Fadnavis

Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) yesterday demanded an independent probe into allegations made by Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ wife Amruta Fadnavis, who had got an FIR lodged claiming that a “designer” tried to bribe her with Rs 1 crore while seeking her “intervention” in a criminal case.

The bribery case has been in the headlines since Thursday when it came to light that Devendra Fadnavis’ wife had filed an FIR against a self-proclaimed designer for “trying to bribe her with Rs 1 crore".The woman named in the FIR was Aniksha Jaisinghani, the daughter of wanted bookie Anil Jaisinghani. While it was said that she is a designer, a report in IndiaToday stated that Aniksha is a law graduate who posed as a designer to get close to Amruta and seek her help to intervene in a criminal case involving her father.

Amruta said she first met Aniksha in November 2021.Aniksha claimed that she was a designer of clothes, jewellery and footwear and requested the BJP leader's wife to wear them at public events saying it would help her promote the products. After gaining Amruta’s trust, Aniksha allegedly offered to provide her with information on some bookies through which, she claimed, they could make money. She then directly offered Amruta Rs 1 crore to get her father off the hook in a police case, as per the FIR. Amruta Fadnavis also told the police that she was upset by Aniksha’s behaviour and blocked her number, the police official told news agency PTI. The woman then allegedly sent Amruta video clips, voice notes and many messages from an unknown number. She and her father indirectly threatened and conspired against Amruta, said the official citing the FIR. The police registered the FIR against Aniksha and her father under Indian Penal Code sections 120-B (conspiracy) and the Prevention of Corruption Act sections pertaining to using corrupt and illegal means to induce a public servant to take a bribe. Deputy Chief Minister Fadnavis told the Legislative Assembly that appropriate inquiry will be conducted into the FIR.