Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Apr 13: Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) leader Sanjay Nirupam launched a scathing attack on both the Congress party and Shiv Sena (UBT) on Sunday, accusing them of being involved in large-scale property and financial irregularities, and warning that legal action is imminent.
Taking to social media platform X, Nirupam alleged that Uddhav Thackeray’s faction will soon be under the scanner for what he termed “illegal properties,” hinting at upcoming probes. He claimed that the Congress’s alleged misdeeds, particularly those linked to the Waqf Board, have reached an advanced stage of investigation.
“The Rs 700-crore National Herald property grabbed by the Congress is close to being seized. And very soon, action is expected against the ‘Thackeray Waqf Board’ too,” Nirupam wrote in Hindi.
The former Rajya Sabha MP didn’t stop there. He revisited his earlier claims from last month about what he described as “Housing Jihad” in Mumbai.
According to Nirupam, Muslim contractors involved in slum redevelopment projects have been selectively allotting housing to members of their own community — a move he alleged was aimed at changing the city’s demographic makeup. He further accused some municipal officials of colluding in this alleged plan, even facilitating the settlement of illegal Bangladeshi migrants.
Nirupam’s post drew criticism online, with some users calling him a “party hopper.” The firebrand politician responded sharply, saying, “Calling me a switcher won’t wash away the sins of the Congress. Don’t follow stereotypes. Think #NationalHerald.”
Notably, Nirupam's political journey spans both factions of the Shiv Sena and the Congress. In the 1990s, he served as editor of the Shiv Sena’s Hindi mouthpiece Dophar Ka Saamana, before switching to Congress, and later returning to Sena under Eknath Shinde’s leadership.
His reference to the National Herald case came just a day after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) intensified efforts to seize properties worth ?661 crore tied to Associated Journals Limited (AJL), which is controlled by the Congress.
In Mumbai, the ED issued a notice to Jindal South West Projects Limited, currently occupying multiple floors in Herald House, Bandra (East), instructing the firm to transfer rental payments directly to the Directorate of Enforcement.
Recent ED raids across Mumbai, Delhi, and Lucknow reportedly uncovered significant documents linked to money laundering in the AJL case. Investigators allege that Young Indian — a private firm said to be controlled by Sonia and Rahul Gandhi — acquired AJL's assets worth over ?2,000 crore for just ?50 lakh.
With multiple investigations underway and political tensions escalating, the next few weeks could prove pivotal in these high-profile cases.