Congress leader who complained against Munde gets death threats

Congress leader Sachin Sawant who filed a complaint of corruption against Maharashtra's Women and Child Development Minister Pankaja Munde on Friday claimed to have received multiple death threats.

"Since Thursday evening, I have got around 40 anonymous threats, mostly threatening to kill me," Sawant, the spokesman of the state unit, told IANS. Mumbai police have provided him security.

"Police have temporarily posted two constables from the local police station at my residence. I shall lodge the detailed written complaint tomorrow morning," said Sawant, who had on Wednesday filed a formal complaint with the state Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) accusing Munde of irregularities in awarding contracts worth Rs.206 crore (Rs.2.06 billion). The ACB has sought a report from the state government on the complaint.

The ACB complaint pertains to the minister -- daughter of the late union minister Gopinath Munde who was killed in a road accident in New Delhi last year -- allegedly sanctioning contracts for buying food-items, water filters, medical kits and books for children without inviting e-tenders, as is mandatory.

Besides Sawant's complaint with the ACB, former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the issue.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said that there is no "prima facie evidence" of any wrongdoing by his cabinet colleague, but was open to a probe after examining the issue in detail.

Dismissing the allegations against her, Munde said she was prepared to face any probe or enquiry and accused vested political interests of attempts to dislodge her from the ministry and end her political career.