An internal dispute within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Mumbai has taken a legal turn, with police registering a theft case against party leader Shilpa Dattaram Keluskar. The case centres on the alleged disappearance of a crucial AB form from the party's office, a document required to contest civic elections.
The Allegation and Police Action
Based on a complaint filed by BJP secretary Dinesh Jagtap, the Sion police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Keluskar under Section 303(2) of the Indian Penal Code, pertaining to theft. The police have confirmed that the case was initially filed at the Sion police station but has now been transferred to the Bhoiwada police station for further investigation, as the BJP office in question falls under its jurisdictional limits.
According to the police, since the offence is categorised as theft, an immediate arrest is not mandatory. Officials stated that Keluskar is likely to be served a notice soon, requiring her to appear for questioning as part of the ongoing probe.
Seat-Sharing Agreement Triggers Dispute
The sequence of events, as outlined in the FIR, began on December 29. On that day, Shilpa Keluskar was officially issued the AB form to contest the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections from Ward No. 173, with polls scheduled for January 15.
However, the political landscape shifted swiftly due to a seat-sharing agreement between the BJP and the Shiv Sena faction led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. As part of this pact, it was decided that the candidacy for Ward No. 173 would go to Shiv Sena candidate Pooja Kamble. Consequently, the BJP office instructed Keluskar to return the AB form that had been allocated to her.
The Mysterious Disappearance of the Form
The FIR details that Keluskar complied with the instruction and returned the AB form to the BJP office in Dadar (East) by 5 pm on December 29. The document was then reportedly stored in a drawer at the office.
The situation escalated on December 31 around 2 pm. Pooja Kamble's husband alerted BJP office-bearers with a startling claim: Shilpa Keluskar had submitted the very same AB form at the election office to file her nomination for the BMC poll. The form was allegedly signed by the Mumbai BJP president.
This prompted party officials to immediately check the drawer where the form was kept. To their surprise, the AB form was missing. After senior leaders were informed, secretary Dinesh Jagtap approached the Sion police station, leading to the registration of the theft FIR.
When contacted for a response, Keluskar's husband answered her phone and stated that they were not aware of the FIR and that no police notice had been served on her as yet. The investigation by the Bhoiwada police is now underway to determine the circumstances behind the form's disappearance and the subsequent submission.
