Maharashtra Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse asked for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe, while the opposition Congress sought the BJP leader's dismissal. (File Photo)
A Gujarat-based hacker who claims to have obtained call records which purportedly show calls from the gangster Dawood Ibrahim's house to the Maharashtra Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse, on Monday asked for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe, while the opposition Congress sought the BJP leader's dismissal.
Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam said a party delegation met Governor C Vidyasagar Rao and demanded Mr Khadse's dismissal over the recent multiple allegations.
State BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari defended Mr Khadse over the allegation about a three-acre piece of land bought by Mr Khadse's family at Bhosari near Pune. Mr Bhandari said that Shiv Sena leader and Industries minister Subhash Desai's statement that the land belonged to Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation was "based on incomplete information" and it had not been acquired.
In the Bombay High Court, Vadodara-based hacker Manish Bhangale's petition came up on Monday. Mr Bhangale had hacked the call records of Dawood's house which formed the basis of allegation levelled against Mr Khadse by the Aam Aadmi Party or AAP two weeks ago.
Mr Bhangale's lawyer demanded urgent hearing, saying his client was receiving death threats. He also demanded a CBI probe against Mr Khadse. The High Court, however, said it would be heard after the summer vacation.
"Instead of recording statements and perusing evidence, the state government and (Mumbai) police have shown haste in giving clean chit to the minister. The global data of telephone numbers gathered by me (petitioner) from the telephone bills of Dawood Ibrahim has the potential of exposing his financial empire ranging from films to cricket betting," the petition claims.