Cong's SK Patil met underworld don Haji Mastan to defeat George Fernandes in 1967 elections, says KC Tyagi

Amid a controversy raked by Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut over the ties of political leaders with underworld mafias, Janata Dal (United) Spokesperson KC Tyagi on Thursday claimed that Congress leader S K Patil had also met the then underworld don Haji Mastan to seek help to defeat socialist leader George Fernandes in the 1967 elections.

"The relationship between the underworld don and the leaders has been existing. Congress leader S K Patil had also met the then underworld don Haji Mastan to seek help to defeat socialist leader George Fernandes in 1967 elections," said Patil while speaking to ANI.

Tyagi also said that Raut might have retracted his statement about former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi visiting underworld dons in Mumbai but what is once said can never be taken back.

"Making a remark and then backing away from it, is nothing new. But what is said once can never be taken back in politics," he said.

The Shiv Sena leader on Wednesday claimed that Indira Gandhi used to go and meet Karim Lala in Mumbai.

"There was a time when Dawood Ibrahim, Chhota Shakeel, Sharad Shetty used to decide who would be Police Commissioner of Mumbai and who would sit in the 'Mantralaya'. Indira Gandhi used to go and meet Karim Lala. We've seen that underworld, now it's just 'chillar'," Raut had said here on Wednesday.

However, he retracted his remarks on Thursday saying if someone feels that his statement had hurt the image of Indira Gandhiji or hurt feelings, he takes back his remarks.

Lala was involved in smuggling, narcotics, gambling, forced property evictions, and extortion rackets in Mumbai for over two decades. He died in 2002 at the age of 90.