Kiren Rijiju Defends Eknath Khadse, Says Allegations Need To Be Proved First

Panaji: Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju has said the allegations that Maharashtra Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse has links with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim need to be proved before any action is taken against him.

Aam Aadmi Party spokesperson Preeti Sharma Menon had last week alleged that Mr Khadse had received several calls from the number of Dawood's wife, Mehjabeen Shaikh, between September 4, 2015 and April 5, 2016.

"At this moment, it has only been alleged that Eknath Khadse has links with Dawood Ibrahim. The same has to be verified," Mr Rijiju told reporters last evening on the sidelines of a programme in Vasco town.

"It is not that we will not take action against him but for doing that the same has to be proved," he added.

Mr Khadse, however, had dismissed the allegations as "baseless", stating that the particular number was not in use for the last one year.

Mumbai Police on May 22 had stated that initial analysis of the cell phone number (belonging to Khadse) indicated that there were neither outgoing nor incoming calls from the number to that of the fugitive (Dawood) during the entire period of September 2015 to April 2016, as claimed by AAP.