Mumbai Police’s Crime Branch on Tuesday launched an investigation into videos which purportedly claimed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former MP Kirit Somaiya in a ‘compromised position’.
Crime branch officials will take the help of technical experts to investigate the authenticity of the video and the cyber team to investigate the case.
This came after the BJP leader urged Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to investigate allegations of harassment levelled against him and verify the authenticity of videos of him going viral on social media.
A purported video, claiming to be of Kirit Somaiya in a ‘compromised position’, went viral after it aired on a Marathi news channel on Monday.
The viral video triggered sharp reactions from Twitter users and surfaced on social media, and also led to a protest by Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction (UBT) and Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
A ‘chappal maaro andolan’ was held in Mumbai by these parties, while NCP youth wing said it will carry out a clothes donation campaign for Kirit Somaiya.
A leader of UBT said on Tuesday that Kirit Somaiya should be sacked from the party.
Dismissing the viral video and the allegations, Kirit Somaiya took to Twitter and wrote, “A video clip of me was shown on a news channel. Claimed that I have harassed many women & many such video clips available & complaints received against Me [sic]”.
A video clip of me was shown on a news channel. Claimed that I have harrassed many women & many such video clips available & complaints received against MeI have never abused any woman
Request @Dev_Fadnavis to investigate such allegations and verify the authenticity of Videos pic.twitter.com/rR0l4nalOz
— Kirit Somaiya (@KiritSomaiya) July 18, 2023
“I have never abused any woman,” Kirit Somaiya said, requesting Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis to “investigate such allegations and verify the authenticity of videos”.
Marathi news channel ‘Lokshahi’ has claimed possession of the video footage, while they aired the clip by blurring the explicit content and protecting the identity of the woman involved, uncensored clips have surfaced on social media.
In a live show, editor Kamlesh Sutar expressed his channel’s intention was not to invade anyone’s privacy and sought clarification from Somaiya regarding the video’s authenticity and any related complaints.
Deputy CM Fadnavis Orders Probe
Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis promised a detailed probe into the matter. Speaking in the legislative council on Tuesday, Fadnavis said a thorough probe will be conducted into the viral video.
“A thorough probe will be done. No one will be protected. The police will find out the identity of the (aggrieved) woman. Nothing will be brushed under the carpet,” Fadnavis said.
The matter was raised in the legislative council by Ambadas Danve, leader of the opposition, and MLC Anil Parab, both from Shiv Sena (UBT).
Danve said the matter should be probed and handed over a pen drive, which he claimed contained the clip, to council deputy chairperson Neelam Gorhe.
Gorhe said the woman allegedly linked to the video has not lodged a complaint. She should trust the legislature and come forward to lodge the complaint, Gorhe said.
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