Shiv Sena parliamentarian Arvind Sawant told Afternoon Voice, “I am Shiv Sainik and I know how to behave with females. Why would I go and threaten Navneet Kaur Rana? What is the relevance? She has a habit of making serious allegations ever since Maha Vikas Aghadi came to power. But Shiv Sainiks always ignored her by maintaining a dignified distance. It is her futile attempt to remain in the news but hardly care.”
Amaravati’s independent MP Navneet Kaur Rana has alleged that Shiv Sena’s leader Arvind Sawant threatened her in the lobby of the Lok Sabha, warning her of being jailed for talking in the House against the Maharashtra government. Relying on her allegation, Sawant said that the lobby is so narrow and there were so many leaders from different political parties. How can I ever utter something like this to her? Meanwhile, in-house opposition was very aggressive by making attacks on Shiv Sena even our leaders exposed their claims, this routine of the house, leaving all other leaders why would one go to her? Is she not trying to grab attention?” Asked Sawant.
The Shiv Sena MP further alleged, “She is scared of getting exposed, our Shiv Sena MP Anandrao Adsul and his son Abhijit Adsul caught Kaur in her false caste certificate case. Adsul also filed a complaint under 156 (3) to expose her. Anand Adsul has also exposed Navneet Rana’s husband Ravi Rana in bank fraud and the couple has links with a builder from Mumbai, Yusuf Lakdawala, who was arrested for a financial bungle of Rs. 50 crore.”
Anand Rao Adsul said, “Ravi Rana had secured a loan worth Rs. 12.5 crore from Punjab National Bank, Shivaji Park branch by mortgaging a government land at Survey No. 49/2E. Navneet’s election campaign is being funded with that money. Builder Lakdawala provided Rs. 80 lakh to the Rana’s and she should come out clear on the connection with this builder who has criminal antecedents, instead of answering the questions she is accusing Shiv Sena leaders every now and then.”
Meanwhile, Rana has informed Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla of receiving acid-attack threats through phone calls and on Shiv Sena letterheads. The Sindhudurg member has, however, denied the allegations and, instead, said he would “stand with” the woman member if anyone threatens her with bodily harm. She should submit the call records and letterheads for more clarity.
Her letter says that Sawant was angry over her raising the issue of the affairs in the Maharashtra government. According to her, he said, “I’ll see how you roam around in Maharashtra”, and “We will put you, too, behind bars.”
In the Lok Sabha, Rana had raised the matter of suspended Maharashtra cop Sachin Vaze, now arrested for his alleged involvement in the Mukesh Ambani bomb threat case and being probed for the related death of Thane businessman Mansukh Hiren. She had also demanded that the Maharashtra government headed by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray step down in the wake of former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh’s corruption allegations.
Sawant, though, slammed her claims as “brutal lies” and instead accused her of being disrespectful and rude while talking in Parliament. If anything, he said, Rana is the one who keeps threatening everyone. I have never threatened anyone in my life… doing that to a woman is out of the question,” he asked in a video message responding to her allegation. “The House bars naming anyone from outside… but she does it and it goes on the record. Some people are skilled in twisting things and gaining publicity.”
