Who is Ravindra Waikar, the Shinde Sena’s Mumbai North West Lok Sabha candidate who recently left Uddhav camp?

Who is Ravindra Waikar?

Waikar is a three-time MLA from Jogeshwari East. He started his political career as a corporator in Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and served for four terms. He was also the chairman of the BMC standing committee from 2006 to 2009.

Waikar was a minister in the BJP-Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) governments in the state. He was a close associate of Uddhav Thackeray and was known to be part of the clan’s kitchen cabinet. There were rumours that Waikar had financial dealings with the Thackerays.

What are the allegations faced by Waikar?

There have been multiple allegations of financial misappropriation against Waikar. In 2016, Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam accused him of illegally taking over a public plot at Aarey Milk Colony and constructing a gymnasium using legislator funds.

In 2020, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya alleged that the Thackerays and Waikar families were involved in financial deals. He claimed that Thackeray’s wife Rashmi and Waikar’s wife Manisha had purchased 21 plots in Kolai village, Murud taluka in Raigad from interior designer Anvay Naik, his wife Akshata Naik and daughter Adnya Naik. Anvay Naik died by suicide along with her mother in 2018.

It was alleged that Thackeray and Waikar purchased properties in Alibaug in 2014 by misusing their positions and later transferring them to their wives’ names. Somaiya also accused Waikar of not disclosing his assets.

When did Waikar fall under the lens of the central agencies?

Waikar’s troubles with agencies began after the Shiv Sena split. In November 2023, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai police booked Waikar and five others on a complaint by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya. The BJP leader alleged that Waikar was involved in a Rs 500 crore scam. He claimed that Waikar fraudulently obtained approval for constructing a five-star hotel on a plot reserved for a garden by using his political influence, causing a massive loss to the BMC.

The ED registered a case of money laundering against Waikar in November last year based on the Mumbai police’s FIR. The ED raided seven premises connected to Waikar and questioned him several times.

What happened to the ED investigation?

After the Bombay High Court on September 8, 2023, dismissed his plea against BMC’s decision to cancel permission to develop the land to build a 5-star hotel on Jogeshwari Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR), Waikar approached the Supreme Court.

Amidst talks that Waikar had smoked the peace pipe with Shinde, the BMC informed the Supreme Court on February 26 that it was withdrawing its earlier order that had revoked permission granted to Waikar to build the five-star hotel and submitted that it would reconsider his application.

After the BMC reversed its decision, the ED case weakened, and two weeks later, he joined the Shinde faction.