Sanjay Raut claims 4 Maharashtra ministers 'honey trapped'; BJP asks for proof

"Four ministers and many officers have been honey trapped,” Raut wrote on X without naming anyone.

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday alleged four Maharashtra ministers and many government officials have been “honey trapped”, a claim contested by Maharashtra cabinet member Chandrashekhar Bawankule who asked him to make the evidence public.

In a post on X, Raut claimed four young MPs of the then undivided Shiv Sena were honey trapped due to which they switched sides and joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. He did not name anyone. "Four ministers and many officers have been honey trapped,” Raut added without naming anyone.

Last week, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told the legislative assembly that no case of blackmailing through honeytrap has come to light in the state. On Monday, Raut alleged Fadnavis lied in the House and that he knows four ministers were "honey trapped".

“Of the MPs who left the (undivided Shiv Sena), four were honey trapped and they were pressured and got cleansed after joining hands with the BJP,” Raut claimed while talking to reporters in New Delhi. Last week, Congress MLA Nana Patole demanded that the government make a formal statement in the assembly on an alleged "honeytrap" racket targeting state officials posted in Thane, Nashik and the Mantralaya (secretariat) in Mumbai.

Patole claimed he had proof related to the allegations in a pen drive.

Reacting to Raut's claims, senior BJP leader and state Revenue Minister Bawankule said, "He should not be afraid. If he has any material related to honeytrap claims, he must come forward and show it."

"This is nothing but a poor attempt to stay in the limelight," Bawankule told reporters.

The minister claimed that after losing power, leaders of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi were indulging in spreading "outright lies" to mislead the public.

"The MVA leaders could not even save their own MLAs and MPs. Now they are resorting to falsehoods," he said.

Bawankule also refuted Raut's claim that a current state minister, allegedly involved in a Nashik "honeytrap" case, had travelled to Guwahati four days after several Shiv Sena leaders went to the Assam city during the 2022 rebellion which led to a split in the party.

Echoing Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' earlier remarks, Bawankule said, "If the opposition has any proof, they should present it to the people. They should not fear anyone."