Khadse files FIR against Damania; seeks her arrest

Former Maharashtra minister Eknath Khadse has lodged an FIR against activist Anjali Damania for allegedly maligning his image by submitting "false affidavits" in a PIL filedagainst him in the Bombay High Court.

Khadse alleged that Damania had misguided the HC by furnishing "false proofs".

"When I received the copy of the PIL filed against me, I was shocked to see that she had shown two cheques worth crores as having issued by me. My signature had been forged and other documents produced in the court too had been forged", the senior BJP leader said.

The former Revenue minister said he was trying to register an office against Damania since the time he received the copy of the PIL, but the police did not file a case "under pressure".

"Finally I had to approach the court seeking its intervention. The court yesterday directed the police to register an offence against her (Damania)," Khadse said.

He said the case has been registered against Damania at Muktainagar police station in Jalgaon district under various sections.

"I demand her arrest at the earliest for maligning my reputation," Khadse said.

When contacted, Damania said Khadse was "rattled" by the "protest petition" filed against him in the clean chit given to him in the Bhosari land grab case.

"Also, I have submitted a stinging evidence to Nashik ACB on how money was transferred to Mandakini Khadse's account from shell companies which was then used to buy the land at Bhosari.

"All this has rattled him and he is using all possible means to get away," Damania claimed.

A Pune-based businessman had in May 2016 filed a complaint with the Bund Garden police alleging land grab.

He had alleged that Khadse misused his power as a minister and purchased a land in Pune's Bhosari area, owned by Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), in the name of his relatives at Rs 3.75 crore as against the market price of Rs 40 crore.

Based on the complaint, the Pune ACB had registered an FIR against Khadse, his wife, son-in-law and the original land owner, Abbas Ukkani, under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and section 109 of the Indian Penal Code in April last year.

Khadse had resigned in June 2016 after he was accused of using his post as the revenue minister to facilitate the land deal in favour of his wife and son-in-law.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) had submitted a detailed report in a Pune court in connection with the case against Khadse.