The Solapur Rural Police have filed a case against NCP local leader Baba Jagtap, his associates, and around 15-20 others for obstructing government officers during a crackdown on illegal soil excavation on August 31 in Kurduwadi village.
This issue came to light when a video went viral on social media, showing Ajit Pawar reprimanding IPS officer Anjana Krishna over the phone. According to the police complaint, Revenue Officer Sudhir Popat Bage and BP Shevre, along with IPS Officer and SDPO Anjana Krishna, her security detail, and other police personnel were conducting operations against illegal soil mining in Kurduwadi.
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At that time, local party workers Baba Jagtap, Nitin Mali, Santosh Kapare, Anna Dhane, and others allegedly caused a ruckus, preventing officials from performing their duties. An FIR was filed at Kurduwadi police station on September 4 following the incident, which led to a controversy after a video clip showed Deputy CM Ajit Pawar directly speaking to SDPO Krishna over the phone, where he was heard firmly instructing her to halt actions against illegal soil mining.
Baba Jagtap had called Ajit Pawar from his phone and facilitated a conversation with IPS Anjana Krishna. The female officer reportedly said, 'How do I know if I am speaking to the Deputy Chief Minister? Call me directly.' Ajit Pawar, angered, responded, 'Such daring! One minute, I'm going to take action against you. I'm speaking to you directly, but you’re asking me to call directly. Do you want to meet me? Take my number and WhatsApp call me. How dare you?'
Read More: 'He'll never pressure for illegal actions...', BJP supports Ajit Pawar in IPS controversy.
Opposition leaders sharply criticized the episode, with NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) MP Supriya Sule describing it as an attack on constitutional values, while Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut accused Ajit Pawar of protecting illegal activities. Later, Ajit Pawar issued a clarification stating that he wasn’t trying to interfere in government work but was attempting to calm a tense situation. He emphasized, 'I hold great respect for my police force and its officers, including female officers. I uphold the rule of law above all.'
