The controversy centres on the origins and authenticity of the recording, which Jarange Patil released at a press conference on Thursday.
The activist has denied seeking or receiving any such payment, while Eknath Shinde has categorically rejected the allegation that he or his son received or transferred the money.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a forensic examination of the audio clip. The allegations have also prompted accusations of political conspiracy, deepening tensions between the two ruling allies.
Shiv Sena alleges conspiracy against Eknath Shinde
The Shiv Sena has suggested that the controversy is part of a conspiracy to undermine Eknath Shinde politically. Senior party leader and former minister Ramdas Kadam accused a section of the BJP of attempting to politically eliminate the Deputy Chief Minister.
“You are trying to hatch a conspiracy to finish a Maratha leader (Eknath Shinde) by colluding with the BJP,” Kadam said on Friday.
He named BJP MLCs Pravin Darekar and Prasad Lad and displayed photographs of Lad and Jarange Patil sharing a meal, questioning the political connections surrounding the controversy.
The BJP leaders strongly rejected the accusations. Darekar and Lad said the party would not tolerate attempts to implicate it in the alleged payment controversy.
Lad also warned that the BJP would soon reveal who had allegedly backed Jarange Patil behind the scenes in his opposition to Chief Minister Fadnavis. He cautioned against attempts to damage the party's image.
Eknath Shinde denies Rs 500-crore transaction
Eknath Shinde rejected the allegations while speaking in Delhi.
“Neither have I given Rs 500 crore, nor have I taken it,” he said.
The Deputy Chief Minister also said Jarange Patil should have verified the claims before making them public and urged him to submit any evidence to the appropriate investigative agencies.
The Shinde-led Shiv Sena has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking their intervention, even as Fadnavis has announced an investigation into the recording.
What does the audio clip claim?
At a rally in Beed earlier this week, Jarange Patil alleged that there had been whispers within the BJP that he was paid Rs 500 crore through Shrikant Shinde ahead of the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections.
He subsequently played the recording at a press conference in Jalna on Thursday. In the clip, an unidentified woman is heard claiming that the money was delivered to Jarange Patil through the Shiv Sena MP.
Other speakers purportedly discuss strategies to counter the activist's influence in the Marathwada region before the elections.
Jarange Patil has maintained that the recording is genuine and demanded that Ram Kadam be questioned about how the clip reached him.
However, the authenticity of the audio has not been independently verified, and the allegation of a Rs 500-crore payment remains unsubstantiated.
Fadnavis orders forensic examination
Fadnavis ordered a forensic examination of the recording on Friday after a delegation from the Shinde-led Shiv Sena met him.
“We all have the same question: why have these conversations emerged now, after two and a half years?” Fadnavis said, according to news agency PTI.
The investigation is expected to examine the recording's authenticity and the circumstances surrounding its emergence.
The controversy has also put Shrikant Shinde, who was named in the alleged account of the payment, under scrutiny. He has dismissed the claim with sarcasm.
Shrikant Shinde mocks Rs 500-crore claim
On Saturday, Shrikant Shinde responded to the allegations with a sarcastic remark about the logistics of transporting such a large amount of cash.
“The question that has crossed Manoj Jarange Patil's mind has also crossed mine, and I am now out searching for it,” he said, adding that they had been discussing how Rs 500 crore in cash would look and how many vehicles would be needed to transport it.
The BJP and Shiv Sena subsequently sought to contain the public spat. Lad said the matter was “closed” after Shiv Sena minister Uday Samant spoke to him following discussions with Shinde and Fadnavis.
Lad blamed Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut for allegedly attempting to create divisions between the allies. He also reiterated the BJP's respect for Eknath Shinde, describing him as an elder brother.
Political tensions between BJP and Shinde camp
The controversy has erupted amid reports of friction between Fadnavis and Shinde, raising fresh questions about the stability of the ruling alliance in Maharashtra.
At a Dussehra rally earlier this month, Shiv Sena minister Gulabrao Patil described Shinde as a future chief minister, a remark that reportedly upset BJP leaders.
The Rs 500-crore allegation has now added another layer to the political tensions, with both allies rejecting the claims while accusing others of attempting to damage their political standing.
The forensic examination of the audio clip is likely to be crucial in determining its authenticity. Until then, the central allegation of a payment remains unverified.