Suspected bookie Anil Jaisinghani and his daughter Aniksha used to together plan what kind of messages should be sent and demands to be put before Amruta Fadnavis, the wife of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, while trying to blackmail her, police officials handling the probe in the case said on Thursday.
Aniksha Jaisinghani is accused of trying to blackmail and bribe Amruta Fadnavis. Aniksha Jaisinghani was arrested on March 16 for allegedly attempting to offer Rs 1 crore to Amruta Fadnavis for intervening in a criminal case and also threatening her. Anil Jaisinghani, also an accused in the case, was arrested on March 20 from Gujarat. The officials said the father-daughter duo worked in tandem and discussed each and everything related to the sordid episode.
Before sending any WhatsApp message on Amruta Fadnavis's mobile phone, Aniksha Jaisinghani used to discuss about it with her father, said an official. During the probe, the police found screenshots of messages on a mobile phone, which were to be sent to Amruta Fadnavis, and the duo also discussed replies to be given, he said.
This clearly indicates the father-daughter duo was planning together to trap the complainant, he said. After Amruta Fadnavis blocked Aniksha Jaisinghani's mobile number, some threat and blackmail messages were allegedly sent to the former by Anil Jaisinghani, said the police official.
Initially Aniksha Jaisinghani had taken the name of two persons in connection with the entire episode, but after verification it came to light she was misleading the police, he said. She had introduced herself to Amruta Fadnavis as a fashion designer a few years ago, but now claims she is actually a law student, the official said.
Aniksha Jaisinghani may have changed her version about profession to get sympathy, he said. The police have seized various articles, including designer jewellery and clothes, from Aniksha Jaisinghani's residence and were trying to find out from where she had got them, said the official. Her relative Nirmal Jaisinghani, also an accused in the case, has a readymade garments shop, but doesn't sell designer clothes, he said. Based on Amruta Fadnavis's complaint, the police had on February 20 registered a case against the father-daughter duo under Indian Penal Code sections related to conspiracy, extortion and under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.