L to R: Dayashankar Tiwari, Sandip Joshi

An audio clip of a phone conversation that allegedly involved two unidentified residents of Nagpur (one said to be a former politician) went viral on social media. The two can be allegedly heard talking about Home Minister of Maharashtra Anil Deshmukh, Nagpur Mayor Sandip Joshi, BJP corporator Dayashankar Tiwari and Chief Medical Officer at Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) Dr Praveen Gantawar. Of what can be heard from the audio clip that Nation Next procured, it can be ascertained that one of the two people in the conversation seemed to be a close acquaintance of Dr Gantawar, and apparently shielding him.

Further, the audio clip mentioned a criminal conspiracy to honey trap? Joshi and Tiwari. Apart from this, Deshmukhs name was also apparently dragged in a derogatory manner in the same conversation where the one of the persons said he was given sanctuary only with the blessings of the Home Minister and how the judges were being managed in the case pertaining to Gantawar.

Few days back, Tiwari in a press conference had claimed that as per a notification issued by NMC’s Samiti department on March 21, 2016 and under Maharashtra Nursing Home Act, 1949, any doctor working with NMC or government organisation cannot indulge in any private practice and by running a private clinic. Speaking about Dr Gantawar and his wife Dr Sheelu in the press conference, Tiwari had accused the couple of engaging in a private practice and operating a nursing home from Dhantoli for many years now. The BJP corporator on Tuesday even filed a police complaint at citys Tehsil Police Station vis-à-vis the audio clip.

City unit of Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Wednesday booked Gantawar and his wife for amassing disproportionate assets over Rs 2.52 crore. Tiwari said NMC Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe hasn’t taken any action against the couple so far.

However, when Nation Next procured the audio clip two days back, the team apprised Deshmukh about the same. It was then Deshmukh informed us that the matter was serious and a thorough enquiry would be set up to investigate the same. Deshmukh informed that Nagpur Commissioner of Police Dr BK Upadhyay is now investigating the matter.

Leader of Opposition (LoP) Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday sent a letter addressing Home Minister Anil Deshmukh in the regard. The former Chief Minister of Maharashtra in the letter demanded a high-level enquiry.

Fadnavis said, As there is serious mention in the alleged audio clip, there is a need to investigate the matter at the senior level and present the truth to the public. I am confident that you will order a high-level inquiry into the matter.

His tweet read, “विविध समाजमाध्यमांमध्ये सध्या व्हायरल होत असलेल्या दूरध्वनी संभाषण असलेल्या एका कथित ऑडिओ क्लिपची उच्चस्तरिय चौकशी करण्याबाबत गृहमंत्री श्री अनिल देशमुख यांना पत्र…”

Meanwhile, Deshmukh said he heard the alleged audio clip and the same would be investigated as soon as possible. He said there was no attempt to implicate anyone in the case. Adding further, Deshmukh testified by saying that there has been a rift between the administrative officials and politicians in Nagpur.

Note: We at Nation Next are yet to ascertain if the audio clip has been tampered or is intact. Also, the identities of the two people engaged in the conversation are yet to be determined. As and when we get any update on the same, we would update our readers about the progress of the investigation?