Akola Congress MLA Sajid Khan Pathan on Tuesday alleged that he received a death threat and an extortion demand of Rs 10 crore from a person claiming links to the Bishnoi gang.
The matter was also raised in the state assembly during the ongoing Maharashtra Budget Session 2026 by senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar.
According to Wadettiwar, Pathan received an international phone call on February 17 at around 3.30 pm. The caller identified himself as Shubham Lonkar and allegedly demanded Rs 10 crore, warning that the MLA would be killed if the money was not paid, reported the PTI.
Wadettiwar described the threat as “extremely serious” and said the audio recording of the call was alarming. He urged the government to provide immediate security to Pathan.
The Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly asked the government to treat the issue with urgency and take appropriate steps to ensure the MLA’s safety.
Wadettiwar also claimed that the caller warned Pathan that informing the police would offer only temporary protection and that the gang would target him later.
He questioned the safety of public representatives in the state, saying, “If elected representatives are not safe, what about ordinary citizens?”, as per the PTI.
Background of the gang
The Bishnoi gang has been linked to several high-profile criminal cases in Mumbai.
The gang is suspected to be involved in the murder of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique in October 2024.
Police are also probing the alleged role of Shubham Lonkar, an accused in the Siddique murder case, in a firing incident outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s residence earlier this month.
In addition, the gang is suspected to be behind the shooting outside actor Salman Khan’s home in 2024.
Several people have been arrested in connection with these cases.
Wadettiwar slams Maharashtra govt over Shaktipeeth Expressway land acquisition
Meanwhile, Congress legislative party leader Vijay Wadettiwar on Tuesday slammed the Maharashtra government for “adding to farmers` distress” by deploying police for land acquisition for the Shaktipeeth Expressway, even as unseasonal rains and hailstorms destroyed crops in parts of the state, as per the PTI.
Moving an adjournment notice in the state assembly, the Congress leader said heavy rain and hailstorms accompanied by strong winds in the last 24 hours have caused extensive damage to standing crops in Nagpur, Bhandara, Gondia and Yavatmal districts in Vidarbha, and Beed, Latur, Nanded and Parbhani in Marathwada.
(with PTI inputs)
