MUMBAI: In a counter-attack, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya on Wednesday alleged that Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut deliberately referred to the old controversy over "19 bungalows" in Korlai village because he bore a "grudge" against Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and his family members for not backing him when certain allegations were raised against him.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Somaiya, a former MP from Mumbai, claimed that it was a known fact that Rashmi Thackeray, wife of Uddhav Thackeray who heads Shiv Sena, had tendered a written "apology" to the Korlai gram panchayat in the Raigad district in connection with the "19 bungalows" controversy.
"But Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut deliberately dug out the issue of 19 bungalows in his press conference on Tuesday because he wants that letter of Rashmi Thackeray to come out in the public."
"Raut is harbouring a grudge against the Thackerays because none of them stood behind him when I had levelled allegations against him (Raut), his friends and his relatives. I had raised the issue of 19 bungalows in January 2021 but it was not even discussed in the last some months," Somaiya alleged.
He said Raut deliberately avoided speaking on the "scam" in the allotment of COVID care centres in Mumbai in his presser but chose to speak about these bungalows.
Somaiya had alleged a scam in the allotment of COVID care centres in Mumbai and submitted a police complaint on Tuesday.
"People should ask Sanjay Raut about the letter Rashmi Thackeray had submitted to the Korlai gram panchayat tendering apology in the case of 19 bungalows," he said.
When asked about Raut's challenge to him to show where these bungalows are located, the BJP leader claimed, "Rashmi Thackeray and Manisha Ravindra Waikar have jointly paid the property tax on November 12, 2020. Why would they pay the property tax of a bungalow if it does not exist? It is an RTGS transaction and the Korlai gram panchayat has issued a receipt of receiving the payment".
Queried on the source of these details, Somaiya said he knew because his in-laws hailed from Revdanda village located opposite Korlai village.
"Those people first pointed out this issue to me, thus I came to know. All those bungalows were constructed by the late Anvay Naik, who later sold it to the Thackerays and Waikar. The purchase agreement was signed in 2014," he claimed.
In May 2018, interior designer Anvay Naik, along with his mother Kumud Naik, were found dead at their bungalow in Alibaug.
According to the police, Anvay had committed suicide.
Addressing a press conference at the Shiv Sena headquarters in Mumbai on Tuesday, Sanjay Raut had launched a personal attack against Somaiya, who has been raising a slew of allegations against the Sena brass and other leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi.
Raut had alleged that Neil Somaiya, son of Kirit Somaiya, had links with Rakesh Wadhwan, an accused in the PMC bank fraud and demanded the arrest of the father-son duo.
Denying allegations, Kirit Somaiya had said that he was ready to face any investigation.
"I have done nothing wrong. I was never indulged in corruption. I am ready to face any inquiry," he had said.