The Nandurbar police arrested former BJP North Maharashtra convenor Vijay Choudhary late Thursday night. The Crime Branch took him into custody from Dhulia Road in connection with an audio clip controversy. The alleged audio recording contains objectionable comments targeting former BJP MP Heena Gavit and several other senior political figures. Police officials confirmed that medical examiners will examine Choudhary before officers present him in a local court on Friday.
This high-profile arrest comes shortly after the BJP asked Choudhary to step down from his post as North Maharashtra convenor. The party took action soon after the offensive audio recording began circulating on social media platforms.
FIR Filed Following Complaint by Former MP’s Family
The controversy reached law enforcement after Heena Gavit’s cousin filed a formal police complaint in Nandurbar. Police subsequently registered a First Information Report (FIR) under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act alongside other relevant legal provisions.
According to investigators, the complaint alleges that the audio clip contains derogatory remarks specifically directed at Dr. Heena Gavit, who belongs to a Scheduled Tribe.
Beyond Dr. Gavit, the viral recording allegedly contains offensive statements about Union Minister of State Raksha Khadse, NCP (SP) leader Eknath Khadse, and Rohini Khadse. However, police clarified that they have not yet independently established the technical authenticity of the circulating audio file.
Forensic Analysis and Voice Sample Verification Underway
Investigating officers are currently probing how the recording originated, who recorded the conversation, and how it spread widely online. Police teams plan to collect official voice samples from Choudhary to send to a forensic laboratory for detailed analysis.
A senior IPS officer stated that while one speaker sounds like Choudhary, investigators cannot confirm the match conclusively until the forensic lab issues its official report.
For his part, Vijay Choudhary strongly denied all allegations during preliminary questioning. He claimed that political rivals fabricated the audio clip using artificial intelligence tools to misuse his voice and damage his reputation.
Political Backlash and Internal Party Friction
The controversy has sparked intense political reactions and public protests across Nandurbar. Local BJP workers staged public demonstrations against Choudhary after the audio clip surfaced. Alliance partners also condemned the incident, with Shiv Sena MLA Amasha Padvi publicly demanding strict legal action.
A senior BJP office bearer disclosed that party leadership views the matter seriously due to the nature of the remarks against a prominent woman tribal leader. Choudhary previously served as the BJP Nandurbar district president and held the post of Maharashtra general secretary under Chandrashekhar Bawankule’s leadership.
Although state president Ravindra Chavan did not retain him in the core state unit, party leadership had later appointed him as the North Maharashtra convenor.
Curated news reports, in-depth analysis, and special features by India’s Opinion editorial team.
