BJP worker plotted honeytrap targeting Maharashtra minister, claims Opposition

India Today

21-07-2025

The honeytrap scam has once again rocked Maharashtra's political circles, with NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) leader Eknath Khadse accusing Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Girish Mahajan and Chief Minister's Office official Rameshwar Naik of being entangled in a scandal allegedly masterminded by BJP worker Prafulla Lodha.The accusations come amid a surge of honeytrap cases emerging across Maharashtra, fuelling public and political intrigue. Over the past week, the Congress has repeatedly raised the issue, claiming that at least 72 politicians and top officials in the state have allegedly been involved.advertisementPrafulla Lodha, currently facing a rape case filed in Andheri, was once a trusted aide of Mahajan. Khadse revealed that Lodha, originally a Congress member, switched over to the BJP in a ceremony overseen by then-Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, with Naik in attendance.
However, their relationship soured when Lodha filed a complaint against Mahajan and Naik last year, suggesting a major fallout.In a provocative video, Lodha claimed that a single move on his part could spark a nationwide uproar. He cryptically mentioned possessing incriminating video evidence and referred to someone as 'mother' and 'sister-in-law,' while stressing that he did not wish to harm them.Khadse has called for a transparent probe, asserting that the local police lack the impartiality to handle the case. He demanded a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and a high-level inquiry to uncover the truth behind the explosive allegations.Adding fuel to the controversy, Uddhav Sena MP Sanjay Raut intensified the claims by sharing a photo of Lodha with Mahajan. Raut alleged that four ministers and several officials were implicated in honeytrap cases, including four young MPs who reportedly parted ways when the Shiv Sena split out of fear of exposure.Raut has called for a CBI investigation and accused Chief Minister Fadnavis of misleading the Legislative Assembly by claiming no honeytrap cases exist in the state.During the recent monsoon session of the Assembly, Fadnavis clarified that no official complaints regarding honeytraps had been received, except for one case in Nashik involving a Deputy Collector-level officer—which was later withdrawn. He acknowledged that the names of current and former ministers had surfaced, creating an atmosphere of suspicion in the Assembly.Curiously, the controversy also involves a hotel owner, reportedly a local Congress president, prompting calls for Congress MLA Nana Patole to present concrete evidence. In response, Patole accused Fadnavis of misleading the public.'In the honeytrap case, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis gave a misleading speech. He admitted a case surfaced in Nashik, but since the complaint was withdrawn, the government will not pursue the truth. We fear some critical documents may have been leaked," he said in Marathi.- Ends