Kirit Somaiya, Maharashtra BJP leader, detained at Karad Railway Station ahead of Kolhapur visit

MUMBAI: Maharashtra BJP leader Kirit Somaiya was on Monday detained at the Karad Railway Station in the Satara district while he was on his way to visit Kohlapur. 

According to reports, Somaiya was scheduled to visit Kolhapur later in the day to prove his allegations of corruption against Minister Hasan Mushrif, an MLA from Kagal in the western Maharashtra district.

The Kolhapur District Collector had issued prohibitory orders against him and imposed Section 144, prohibiting gatherings on September 20 and 21. The BJP leader was taken to govt Circuit house in Karad by the Mumbai Police.

#WATCH | Maharashtra: BJP leader Kirit Somaiya detained at Karad Railway Station in Satara district

Somaiya was expected to visit Kohlapur today. Kolhapur Dist Collector had issued prohibitory orders against him & imposed Section 144, prohibiting gatherings on September 20 & 21. pic.twitter.com/3fI42IU53y

— ANI (@ANI) September 19, 2021

Somaiya has made serious allegations of corruption against Mushrif, a minister for rural development, and said that he has amassed massive wealth through 'benami' entities in the name of his kin, allegations dismissed as baseless by the latter.

He also said the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader was laundering money to the tune of Rs 127 crore following which Mushrif threatened to file a defamation suit against the former seeking at least Rs100 crore in damages.

Meanwhile, state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil called the move "dictatorial" and said the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government would not be able to stifle Somaiya's voice. He said the BJP and Somaiya would take these corruption cases to their logical end.