Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Shirsat Seen With Suspicious Bag Day After Tax Notice | VIDEO-OxBig News Network

New Delhi: Maharashtra’s Social Justice Minister Sanjay Shirsat is at the center of a political storm after a video surfaced online allegedly showing him smoking in a private room with a bag suspected to be full of cash nearby. The footage emerged just a day after he acknowledged receiving an income tax notice related to a sharp spike in his declared assets between the 2019 and 2024 Assembly elections.

The clip was posted on social media by Sanjay Raut, a senior leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT) faction, who took a swipe at the ruling alliance. In a scathing post, Raut wrote, “I feel pity for Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis! How many more times will he just sit and watch his reputation being torn to shreds? Helplessness has another name – Fadnavis!”

Shirsat, a legislator from Aurangabad (West) aligned with the Shiv Sena group led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, defended himself, claiming the bag seen in the video merely contained clothes and not money, as alleged by Raut.

He also confirmed that he had been served a notice by the Income Tax Department seeking clarification about the growth in his assets. “Some people had filed a complaint against me with the income tax department, based on which I was issued a notice. I was supposed to respond to it on Wednesday, but I requested more time. I will give a proper response. Nothing wrong has been done,” Shirsat stated.

Shirsat added, “This is a well-thought-out conspiracy. I am sitting comfortably in my house, and my dog is sitting as well. Someone has recorded a video of this, which suggests they were spying on us… We are such people that anyone who visits our home eats food and drinks tea. It is our responsibility to supervise the workers. There might be an agent among them, but we do not worry about it, nor have we ever seen anything suspicious… Have you seen someone living in the house openly sitting beside money? This is unusual. But we will respond to this conspiracy.”

#WATCH | Mumbai, Maharashtra: On a purported viral video showing him sitting beside a bag filled with cash, Maharashtra Minister Sanjay Shirsat says, “This is a well-thought-out conspiracy. I am sitting comfortably in my house, and my dog is sitting as well. Someone has recorded… pic.twitter.com/SwPiZVmnWe
— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2025

Aaditya Thackeray, another prominent leader from the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT), joined the chorus of criticism, calling for swift action from both the tax authorities and Chief Minister Fadnavis.

“Today, it’s Sanjay Sirsat, sitting in his vest and underwear. We talk about ‘Khokhe’ (boxes of cash), ’50 Khokhe, Ekdum Okay’, one is seen in the video. All these antics happening in just vests and undergarments, bags full of cash beside him, where did all this money come from? Who gave it? Can anyone just roam around carrying such wads of notes? And regarding the Income Tax notice that came the day before, will the IT department take any action? Will any action be taken on the orders of the Chief Minister or not? These are important questions that need answers,” said Thackeray.

Initially, Shirsat also claimed that Shrikant Shinde, Lok Sabha MP and son of Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, had received a similar income tax notice. However, he later walked back the comment. “Someone asked me a leading question… My response was presented as if I were confirming a notice to Shrikant Shinde. I want to clarify that I have no information about that,” he said.

In a separate development earlier this week, another video of Shirsat speaking at a public event in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar sparked fresh controversy. In it, the minister jokingly remarked, “Now, black money is not going to be useful. I am speaking for myself.”

He added that he had already reached out to his chartered accountant and was preparing a detailed response to the tax notice. “It is easy to earn money, but using it has become difficult,” he added, drawing laughter from the audience.

Shirsat later attempted to minimize the significance of the video, saying his remarks were intended humorously and were not an admission of any wrongdoing.