MUMBAI: A 26-year-old woman was arrested on Thursday from Ulhasnagar on charges of offering deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis’ wife Amruta Rs 1 crore bribe to help her father, an accused in several criminal cases, and trying to blackmail them.
Earlier in the day, Fadnavis, who controls the home portfolio, said in the Assembly they had filed an FIR in February after doctored videos were used to threaten that he would lose his job. One showed the accused, Aniksha Jaisinghani, 26, stuffing money into a bag and another showed her handing over a similar bag to their household help. He said the episode seemed to have been aimed at getting him into trouble and trapping his family. “I feel sad about the level politics has reached. If there is something political in this, I cannot say since one doesn’t know how much to believe her,” said Fadnavis.
Aniksha had named several prominent politicians and policemen, and the process of dropping cases against Anil Jaisinghani had begun during the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA regime, said Fadnavis. “In one conversation, she said during the former Mumbai police commissioner’s time, our cases were being taken back, and then stopped when you (Fadnavis) came.” Fadnavis later told the media: “It’s possible they may have started this conspiracy during the MVA government to get their cases scrapped. Once the government changed, maybe they felt they could achieve this through blackmail.”
The Malabar Hill and Ulhasnagar police questioned Aniksha for at least six hours at her house in Mayapuri Apartments building at Ulhasnagar, before bringing her to Mumbai. Her brother Akshan was also being questioned which he complained about feeling uneasy and got admitted in hospital. Sources said the police seized several electronic devices from them.
Anil Jaisinghani, 56, is facing 17 cases across six states, said a source. In seven cases, he has been on the run for five years. In May 2019, a lookout circular was issued against him.
Fadnavis said his wife got acquainted with Aniksha, who claimed to be a clothes and artificial jewellery designer, in 2015-16. The ties were renewed in 2021. Once she had established trust, Aniksha asked Amruta to get involved with her in making money by using tip-offs from bookies.
“Then she sent threats that I have this video and your husband’s job will go,” he said.
An FIR was filed against her.
Earlier in the day, Fadnavis, who controls the home portfolio, said in the Assembly they had filed an FIR in February after doctored videos were used to threaten that he would lose his job. One showed the accused, Aniksha Jaisinghani, 26, stuffing money into a bag and another showed her handing over a similar bag to their household help. He said the episode seemed to have been aimed at getting him into trouble and trapping his family. “I feel sad about the level politics has reached. If there is something political in this, I cannot say since one doesn’t know how much to believe her,” said Fadnavis.
Aniksha had named several prominent politicians and policemen, and the process of dropping cases against Anil Jaisinghani had begun during the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA regime, said Fadnavis. “In one conversation, she said during the former Mumbai police commissioner’s time, our cases were being taken back, and then stopped when you (Fadnavis) came.” Fadnavis later told the media: “It’s possible they may have started this conspiracy during the MVA government to get their cases scrapped. Once the government changed, maybe they felt they could achieve this through blackmail.”
The Malabar Hill and Ulhasnagar police questioned Aniksha for at least six hours at her house in Mayapuri Apartments building at Ulhasnagar, before bringing her to Mumbai. Her brother Akshan was also being questioned which he complained about feeling uneasy and got admitted in hospital. Sources said the police seized several electronic devices from them.
Anil Jaisinghani, 56, is facing 17 cases across six states, said a source. In seven cases, he has been on the run for five years. In May 2019, a lookout circular was issued against him.
Fadnavis said his wife got acquainted with Aniksha, who claimed to be a clothes and artificial jewellery designer, in 2015-16. The ties were renewed in 2021. Once she had established trust, Aniksha asked Amruta to get involved with her in making money by using tip-offs from bookies.
“Then she sent threats that I have this video and your husband’s job will go,” he said.
An FIR was filed against her.
