Maharashtra Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil is under intense scrutiny following the registration of an FIR in a ₹9 crore loan fraud case. He is the third minister in the ruling Mahayuti alliance to face opposition heat over corruption allegations, joining Dhananjay Munde and Manikrao Kokate .

Key Details of the Case

• Accusations: Vikhe Patil, along with 53 others—including directors of the Padmashri Vikhe Patil Sahakari Karkhana (cooperative sugar mill) and officials from Union Bank of India and Bank of India—are accused of securing loans totaling nearly ₹9 crore in the names of farmers using forged documents.​
• Legal Action: The FIR was filed at Loni police station in Ahilyanagar district following a directive from a court in Rahata. The complaint was lodged by Balasaheb Vikhe, a sugarcane cultivator and member of the cooperative sugar mill .​
• Political Fallout: Opposition parties, including the Uddhav Sena, have demanded Vikhe Patil’s resignation. Balasaheb Kerunath Vikhe, the complainant, has also called for Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to step down to ensure an impartial investigation .​
• Previous Allegations: This is not the first time Vikhe Patil has faced controversy. Earlier, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut alleged that controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik had donated ₹3 to ₹4 crore to Vikhe Patil’s institution, a claim Vikhe Patil partially acknowledged, stating that the donation occurred 10 to 15 years ago and had been investigated by the government .​

The opposition’s calls for resignation and the ongoing legal proceedings have intensified the political discourse in Maharashtra, casting a spotlight on the Mahayuti government’s handling of corruption allegations.

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