Mumbai, September 7: Senior Maharashtra leaders Sharad Pawar and Anil Deshmukh received a threatening call a day after a similar threat message was left at Matoshree, the residence of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Reports on Monday claimed that international callers dialed up at the residences of Deshmukh and Pawar and issued a threat. Uddhav Thackeray Receives Threat Call, Alleged Dawood Gang Member Says His Matoshree Residence in Mumbai Will be 'Blown Up'.
Deshmukh, a senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader, is serving as the State Home Minister. Pawar is the supremo of his party and is also considered as the architect of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government formed in Maharashtra last year.
On Sunday, security was beefed up outside Matoshree in Mumbai following the threat call received by Thackeray. Officials privy to the matter claimed that the caller identified himself as a member of the Dawood Ibrahim gang.
"Someone called up on the Matoshree phone number two times on Saturday night and said Dawood Ibrahim wanted to talk to CM Uddhav Thackeray," said an official while speaking to news agency PTI.
"However, the telephone operator did not transfer the call to the CM. The caller did not reveal his identity, but only said that he was calling from Dubai on behalf of Dawood Ibrahim. Both the calls were received around 10.30 pm," the official added.
The Chief Minister's Office (CMO) also issued a statement confirming that a threat call was received from an anonymous caller. "The state cabinet which met today [Sunday], expressed concern over it and condemned it. The cabinet sought the Centre’s intervention in the case. The ministers said the guilty should be brought to booked and strict action should be taken," the CMO said.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 07, 2020 09:48 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).