Mumbai, July 16 (IANS) The Congress legislator Nana Patole on Wednesday, through a point of propriety, raised the issue of the alleged Honeytrap scandal targeting Maharashtra’s high-ranking officers and politicians.

Patole, in his submission, said, “There are reports about how high-ranking officers and politicians are being trapped in a honeytrap. This is quite a serious issue. If secret and sensitive information of the state government is being shared during such honeytrap, then it will be quite detrimental. Therefore, the government should quickly swing into action and urgently take strict action in this regard.”

He also appealed to the Assembly Speaker, Rahul Narvekar, to direct the government to take necessary steps. Accordingly, the Speaker asked the government to take note of the issue raised by Patole and take action in this regard.

Meanwhile, the NCP SP also expressed grave concern over the shocking media reports of a widespread ‘honeytrap’ scandal that has allegedly ensnared a staggering number of 72 to 75 senior government officials, including Class One officers, law enforcement officers and politicians across Maharashtra.

This insidious network reportedly extends its reach across major cities like Mumbai, Thane, Pune, and Nashik, threatening the integrity of our state’s administration.

Quoting reports from the media, the NCP SP spokesperson Tapase said that it is particularly alarming to note that high-ranking government officers and politicians have reportedly fallen victim to this sophisticated extortion scheme. This raises serious questions about the security and vulnerability of those tasked with governance in our state.

Tapase further said that the NCP(SP) demands immediate and comprehensive answers from the government on the following critical points: “Why is the government silent on media reports alleging incidents of honey trap in Maharashtra? How did this extensive ‘honeytrap’ operation manage to target such a large number of high-profile individuals, including bureaucrats and politicians? Why did the intelligence agencies fail in early detection or intervention? What measures are being implemented to eliminate such crimes in the future?” he asked.

Tapase said that reports indicate that the ‘mastermind’ behind this racket is from Nashik and a former office-bearer of a political party.

“The modus operandi, involving individuals posing as distressed persons, building trust through digital and personal interactions, and then secretly recording compromising photos and videos for blackmail with threats of false rape charges, points to a highly organised criminal enterprise,” he said.

He said that the public deserves full transparency regarding the ongoing investigation. What steps is the government taking to ensure that justice is served swiftly and that all perpetrators are brought to book? He added that the trust placed by the people of our state in our administrative leadership is paramount, and if this incident is true, it has severely eroded that trust.

–IANS

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