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Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sushma Andhare on Wednesday made serious allegations linking a massive drug seizure in Satara district to a resort allegedly owned and operated by Prakash Shinde, whom she claimed is the brother of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Addressing a press conference, Andhare alleged that drugs worth ₹145 crore were recovered during a raid at a resort in Savarit village of Jaoli taluka and accused the local police machinery of attempting to suppress the information.
According to Andhare, a police raid at the resort had led to the seizure of around 45 kg of drugs. She claimed the property was being run by Prakash Shinde and insisted that he is Eknath Shinde’s real brother. The allegations come amid claims that Satara Superintendent of Police Tushar Doshi deliberately downplayed or concealed details of the seizure.
Prakash Shinde, however, has denied all allegations, stating earlier that he does not run the hotel and has merely leased the property to someone else. Countering this claim, Andhare on Thursday presented what she described as documentary and digital evidence to assert that the resort identified as Hotel Tejaysh is owned and operated by Prakash Shinde himself.
Demonstrating details from her mobile phone during the press conference, Andhare said that a simple Google search of the hotel shows it as a commercial property with a 4.8 rating, online booking options, directions, a map location and a WhatsApp contact number. She claimed that clicking on the listed contact number opens a WhatsApp profile in the name of Prakash Shinde, indicating that he is still directly associated with the hotel’s operations.
Taking a swipe at what she described as shifting explanations, Andhare alleged that Prakash Shinde’s statements mirrored a familiar pattern of denial. “First it’s not his property, then it is his property but given to someone else, then there’s no hotel at all. This is the same script we’ve seen before,” she said, questioning why contradictory versions were being put out.
Andhare further raised sharp questions for Satara SP Tushar Doshi and Guardian Minister Shambhuraj Desai, accusing them of inaction despite the scale of the alleged drug racket. She pointed out that Panchgani, located in the same region, is a major tourist destination often referred to as Maharashtra’s ‘Mini Switzerland’. “If drugs and cocaine are circulating in such a sensitive tourism zone and the guardian minister is unaware, does he deserve to hold that post?” she asked, warning that such lapses posed serious risks to public safety.
Escalating the political pitch, Andhare demanded the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, arguing that his position could influence the investigation.
Drawing a parallel with the resignation of minister Dhananjay Munde in the Valmik Karad case, she said similar standards must apply here. “If a minister can step down over allegations involving an associate, why should a deputy chief minister continue when serious allegations involve his own brother?” she asked.
Calling the issue a matter of public trust, Andhare alleged that drug money was being used to influence elections and warned that the future of Maharashtra’s youth was at stake. She insisted that a transparent and unbiased probe was essential and said she would continue to place evidence in the public domain until accountability was fixed.
