‘Listen, I am the Dy CM’: Ajit Pawar’s scolds IPS officer, goes viral

A video of Maharashtra deputy chief minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar purportedly rebuking a woman IPS officer has gone viral, sparking a political storm in the state. The incident, which took place in Solapur district, is linked to action against illegal excavation of murrum soil, widely used in road construction.

In the clip circulating online, Pawar can allegedly be heard addressing Anjana Krishna, the sub-divisional police officer for Karmala, through an NCP worker’s phone. When the officer reportedly failed to recognise his voice, Pawar is said to have made a direct video call to her.

“Listen, I am the deputy chief minister and giving you the order to stop it,” Pawar is heard saying in the video. He then appears to scold her, asking, “How dare you?” before demanding whether she recognised his face.

The footage has ignited debate on social media, with critics accusing Pawar of attempting to shield illegal activities. However, the NCP has strongly denied these allegations, insisting that the incident has been misrepresented.

State party president Sunil Tatkare claimed the video had been “deliberately leaked” to malign Pawar. “Ajit-dada may have chided the IPS [Indian Police Service] officer to placate party workers. He didn’t mean to stop the action completely,” Tatkare clarified.

Defending Pawar’s conduct, Tatkare added: “He is known for his straight talk and never supports illegal activity. He perhaps meant to stop the action briefly, just to defuse the situation.”

The controversy has nonetheless placed Pawar in the spotlight, raising questions over political interference in policing and the handling of illegal soil excavation in Solapur.