Mumbai :- A political storm has erupted in Maharashtra following explosive allegations by Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar, who claimed that a high-level honey-trap operation was used to topple the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.
Wadettiwar stated that compromising videos of politicians and officials were used to blackmail key members of the MVA, paving the way for the current Eknath Shinde-led government. “We are staying silent to avoid destroying careers, but everyone in power knows the truth,” he told Hindustan Times.
According to the Congress, the scandal centers around a luxury hotel in Nashik, where 72 individuals—including senior IAS officers—were allegedly trapped and recorded in compromising situations. The material was then used to extort them for sensitive information and political leverage.
The controversy deepened after former state Congress president Nana Patole showcased a pen drive in the Assembly, claiming it holds video evidence linked to the scandal. State Congress President Harshwardhan Sapkal further alleged connections between the honey-trap operation and the ₹20,000-crore Samruddhi Mahamarg corruption case.
In response, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis dismissed the claims as baseless, saying, “There is no complaint, no evidence, and no sitting or former ministers involved.” He clarified that a prior complaint by a woman against a deputy district collector had been withdrawn.
With the Congress vowing to release more evidence “at the right time,” the state remains on edge as the political drama intensifies.
