The Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of the Shiv Sena is rattled after its third MLA was served a notice by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Nitin Deshmukh, who is an MLA from Balapur (Akola), has received a notice this time.
In December, two Shiv Sena MLAs—Rajan Salvi from Rajapur (Ratnagiri) and Vaibhav Naik from Kudal (Sindhudurg)—had received notices from the ACB.
It may be mentioned, Deshmukh was the MLA who mysteriously returned from Guwahati from the rebel Shiv Sena-camp now led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
Thereafter, Deshmukh earned praise and was even felicitated by Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray and his son and Yuva Sena President Aaditya Thackeray.
Deshmukh had claimed that he had been “kidnapped" and taken to Surat and then Guwahati where some "medical procedure” was also tried on him. The Shinde camp, however, has refusted Deshmukh's claims, saying that he had returned on a private jet organised for him.
After the notice, Deshmukh remained unfazed and decided to return back.
“An attempt is being made to implicate me in the complaint filed with ACB,” he said.
A few days ago, Shiv Sena MP Bhavna Gavali, who moved to the Shinde-camp, had filed a case against him.
Deshmukh also said that on January 17, he would appear before the ACB office in Amravati and has also promised to hold a formal press conference on that day and expose the conspiracy against him.
Deccan Herald is on WhatsApp Channels | Join now for Breaking News & Editor's Picks