Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 22 (ANI): Reacting to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's allegation that the previous Uddhav Thackeray government helped "drug kingpin" Lalit Patil, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday asked the former to "strengthen" his intelligence.

Raut said, "Tell Fadnavis (Devendra Fadnavis) to strengthen his intelligence, otherwise there will be a 'Hamas-like' situation".

"...This man (Lalit Patil) has no relation with Shiv Sena. There is a man called Dadaji Bhuse in your cabinet. He had brought that man into Shiv Sena and called him his 'khaas aadmi'. He had said that the man was going to BJP but he brought him here...He never became a member of the Shiv Sena", Raut said while speaking to the media in Mumbai.

"Tell Fadnavis to strengthen his Intelligence otherwise, there will be a 'Hamas-like' situation. Even Israel thought its Intelligence was strong...You too think that your Intelligence is strong but you don't know what goes on behind your back..." he added.

Earlier on Friday, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis accused the Uddhav Thackeray government of helping drug kingpin Lalit Patil who was arrested on Tuesday after his escape on October 2 from Pune's Sassoon General Hospital.

Fadnavis alleged that when Uddhav Thackeray's government was in power the public prosecutor did not oppose Lalit Patil's stay in hospital. He also said that Lalit Patil was made Nashik District Chief of Shiv Sena by Uddhav Thackeray.

"Shivsena of Uddhav Thackeray had made him(Lalit Patil) Nashik city president. When he was arrested his Police custody was sought. When he was sent to Police custody, he was admitted to Sassoon Hospital and the prosecutor of that time didn't even oppose his Hospital stay. And after 14 days he was sent to judicial custody. So when he was arrested, he was not even interrogated by police. How will the case proceed?" Fadnavis asked.

Lalit Patil was behind the multi-crore mephedrone racket that was busted by the Pimpri-Chinchwad police in 2020. He was arrested from Chennai on Tuesday night.

Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said that the arrest of Lalit Patil by the Mumbai police will reveal "a big nexus" in the State.

Pune Police arrested two women from Nashik on Thursday in connection with the Lalit Patil drug mafia case and produced them before the Pune Sessions Court which sent them to police custody till October 23.

Police detained both the female accused on Wednesday evening and presented them before the court on Thursday. (ANI)