The NCP on Thursday alleged the ruling BJP has inducted Riyaz Bhati, an alleged aide of gangster Dawood Ibrahim in its fold and has also made him an executive committee member of Mumbai BJP.
The NCP on Thursday alleged the ruling BJP has inducted Riyaz Bhati, an alleged aide of gangster Dawood Ibrahim in its fold and has also made him an executive committee member of Mumbai BJP. However, the BJP denied the claim, saying it has no connection with Mr Bhati.
NCP spokesman Nawab Malik, who made the allegation, said Mr Bhati, who has many criminal offences against his name, has also been given police protection. “CM Devendra Fadnavis should clarify why Bhati, who was earlier arrested for possessing two passports and was arrested by the ATS last year, was given entry into the BJP Bhati has cases of land grabbing and extortion in different police stations.” said Mr Malik.
“Mr Bhati has close ties with BJP leaders. He had even met PM Narendra Modi some time back. How can a person with a criminal background meet our PM ..During the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) elections, Mr Bhati had also threatened members asking them to vote for BJP leader Ashish Shelar,” he added.
The BJP has refuted the NCP’s allegation. “The executive committee of Mumbai BJP has not been announced yet. Hence there is no question of having Mr Bhati on the committee,” said chief spokesperson, BJP, Madhav Bhandari. “As far as MCA elections are concerned, Mr Bhati was only a voter. He was appointed to a special MCA committee by NCP chief Sharad Pawar himself,” he added.
