Story perspectives

Jarange-Patil Claims Rs 500 Crore Audio; Probe Demanded

By Drooid · Oct 22, 2026, 5:22 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Activist Manoj Jarange-Patil played an alleged audio at a Jalna press conference claiming a Rs 500 crore payment.
He said the money was transferred through Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s son, MP Shrikant Shinde.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde denied any Rs 500 crore payment to Jarange-Patil.
Shiv Sena’s Ramdas Kadam, Sanjay Shirsat and BJP’s Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Navnath Ban urged a probe into the clip’s authenticity and possible AI generation.

History

Historical Context

The 2008 cash-for-votes scandal erupted during the July 22 confidence vote that kept Manmohan Singh’s UPA in power, when three BJP MPs displayed bags of cash and alleged a INR1,000 crore bribe linked to L.K. Advani’s aide Sudheendra Kulkarni. A parliamentary probe in December 2008 found no proof, but the episode set a precedent for claims such as activist Manoj Jarange-Patil’s INR500 crore allegation involving Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde’s son.

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Story summary

Activist Manoj Jarange-Patil played an alleged audio at a Jalna press conference claiming a Rs 500 crore payment.
He said the money was transferred through Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s son, MP Shrikant Shinde.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde denied any Rs 500 crore payment to Jarange-Patil.
Shiv Sena’s Ramdas Kadam, Sanjay Shirsat and BJP’s Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Navnath Ban urged a probe into the clip’s authenticity and possible AI generation.

1 / 2