Pune: Renowned kirtankar (spiritual singer) Chaitanya Maharaj Wadekar has come forward with serious allegations, claiming that corrupt officials from the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) are conspiring with a local builder to defame him.
This follows a police case filed against Wadekar by the Mahalunge MIDC police, accusing him of illegally assembling a mob, digging up roads owned by a company using heavy machinery, and damaging a gas pipeline.
Wadekar, during a press conference in Pune, denied all charges and stated that the case was fabricated by a builder with the support of PMRDA officials.
He expressed that the media reports surrounding his alleged involvement in the incident were based on incomplete and misleading information. Wadekar emphasized that he was being targeted due to his popularity as a public figure and spiritual leader.
The incident in question occurred when Wadekar’s family attempted to access their own land, which, according to Wadekar, the builder had been illegally using for road access.
Despite holding legitimate proof of ownership, Wadekar’s brother, Pramod Wadekar, decided to block access to the land.
While Pramod was managing the property, there were no instances of violence or the presence of goons, according to Chaitanya Maharaj. Wadekar himself claimed to be at home during the incident.
The police, after receiving a complaint from the builder, arrived on the scene, arrested Pramod Wadekar, and subsequently handed control of the disputed land to the builder.
Wadekar’s handicapped brother, Advocate Amol Wadekar, attempted to intervene, but he too was asked to come to the police station.
When Chaitanya Maharaj accompanied his brothers to the station, the police charged them with obstructing access to the builder's road on their ancestral land. All three brothers were later released on bail.
Wadekar insists that his absence from the scene during the time of the alleged crime proves his innocence.
He further accused the builder of being notorious for unlawful activities, stating that his corrupt practices are well-known in the Khed taluka and Pune district.
