Mumbai:

BJP leader Atul Bhatkhalkar on Tuesday alleged the Shiv Sena was trying to shield its leader who is a minister in the Maharashtra cabinet, from any legal action in connection with the death of a 23-year-old woman.

Some social media posts have claimed the woman, who died after falling from a building in Pune’s Hadapsar area on February 8, was in a relationship with a cabinet minister in the state.

Meanwhile, responding to a query on reports that state forest minister Sanjay Rathod has offered to resign, Mr Bhatkhalkar said this is a “farce”.

“Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray should remove Rathod from the cabinet. The Sena is trying to wipe out all the evidences against Rathod and trying to shield him from any legal action,” the BJP MLA said.

Some reports in media have said that Sanjay Rathod had sent his resignation to “Matoshree”, the private residence of CM Thackeray who also heads the Sena.

An official from the office of the Chief Minister has denied any such development.

Mr Bhatkhalkar also alleged he had received several calls threatening and abusing him for raising the issue of the woman”s death.

“I have submitted the list of such malicious phone calls to the Mumbai Police. I am expecting a stern action against them,” he said.