Decode Politics: Days After Fadnavis Government Formed House Panel, Why It’s Now Stalled in a Dhule Guest House Room

A political storm is brewing in Maharashtra following the discovery of ₹1.84 crore in cash in Room 102 of the Gulmohar Rest House, a state government guest house in Dhule. This revelation has sparked serious allegations of corruption involving the Estimates Committee of the state legislature.

The controversy began when former MLA Anil Gote, now a member of Shiv Sena (UBT), alleged that ₹5 crore was secretly kept in the guest house, intended to bribe members of the Estimates Committee during their visit to Dhule. Gote claimed that the room in question was booked under the name of Kishore Patil, a section officer and personal assistant to the committee’s chairman, Arjun Khotkar. Following these accusations, authorities broke open the locked room and recovered ₹1.84 crore in cash, stored in several bags.

In response to the situation, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the origins and purpose of the cash. He emphasized that maintaining the integrity of the legislature was of utmost importance and that the SIT would scrutinize the matter thoroughly. Fadnavis also announced plans to encourage the Speaker of the Assembly and the Chairperson of the Council to set up independent ethics committees to address the allegations.

Arjun Khotkar, the chairman of the Estimates Committee, strongly denied any wrongdoing. He dismissed the accusations as an attempt to tarnish the committee’s reputation. Khotkar asserted that his assistant was not staying in the room where the money was found, suggesting the possibility that the cash was planted to discredit the committee.

The discovery of the cash has fueled political tensions, with opposition leaders demanding full transparency and accountability in the investigation. The SIT’s findings are eagerly awaited, as they are expected to clarify the circumstances behind the cash seizure and determine if any corrupt practices were involved within the legislature.