Raut alleged that Waikar and his family had once come to 'Matoshree'—the residence of Uddhav Thackeray—and broke down emotionally. Quoting Waikar, Raut said, "I don’t have the strength to go to jail, nor the courage to face the ED's terrorism. I’m a heart patient. Either I’ll have a heart attack or I’ll be forced to commit suicide. It's better to stay out than to die in jail."
According to Raut, Uddhav Thackeray was deeply moved by Waikar’s emotional plea. However, shortly afterward, Waikar switched allegiance to the Eknath Shinde-led faction. “The moment he joined Shinde, all the cases against him were withdrawn. This clearly indicates that those cases were fabricated,” Raut alleged.
Raut’s comments come amid ongoing political turbulence in Maharashtra, where defections, ED inquiries, and factional clashes continue to dominate the headlines.
Raut's new book Narakatala Swarg has stirred further controversy, not just for its bold content but also for the reactions it has triggered across the political spectrum. While the opposition has criticized Raut for politicizing sensitive matters, his supporters claim the book exposes the growing misuse of investigative agencies to pressure politicians.
As the political drama unfolds, more reactions are expected from both sides, especially from the Shinde camp and Ravindra Waikar himself.