Kirit Somaiya viral video row: After a video clip purportedly showing Maharashtra BJP leader Kirit Somaiya in a "compromising position" made rounds on the internet, the Crime Branch of the Mumbai police has launched an investigation into the matter. According to the Mumbai Police, the crime branch unit 10 has been tasked with probing the authenticity of the video and the matter.
They said the crime branch will be taking the aid of cyber experts to probe the case. The investigation has been launched after Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered an inquiry into the matter on Tuesday (July 18) in the state assembly. “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 video was first posted by a Marathi news channel. INDIA TV cannot independently verify its authenticity. Reportedly, the Mumbai crime branch has also asked the Marathi news channel to hand over the video clip to the police and the source from which it was broadcasted.
Somaiya questions authenticity of the video
"A video clip of me was shown on a news channel. Claimed that I have harrassed many women and many such video clips available and complaints received against Me I have never abused any woman Request @Dev_Fadnavis to investigate such allegations and verify the authenticity of Videos," he said in a tweet.
The case of the viral video has also sparked a political uproar in Maharashtra. Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) leader Sanjay Raut quoted Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray who had once said, "Don't kill with religion someone who is going to die by his karma."
"We have the values of respectable Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray. He used to say: 'Don't kill with religion someone who is going to die by his karma.' Exactly the same is happening. A lot more will happen. Let's see what happens. Jai Maharashtra!" Sanjay Raut said in a tweet in Marathi.
Congress slams Kirit Somaiya
Meanwhile, Congress MLA Yashomati Thakur said that the true face of Kirit Somaiya has come to the fore. She added that the Marathi news channel will now be raided by the central investigative agencies. "The true face of Somaiya, who tried to create a sensation by making baseless accusations against many leaders, has come in front of everyone. Now supporting this channel is the responsibility of all who believe in democracy. Otherwise, there will be raids by organisations like ED, CBI on this channel, as well as the possibility of torture of the journalists of this news channel, cannot be ruled out, so our demand is that the government should protect all those journalists," read a rough translation of her tweet in Marathi.
(With inputs from agencies)
