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State intelligence official spies on former minister; bodyguard fires in the air

A Maharashtra intelligence department sleuth was arrested on charges of spying on former agriculture minister Sashikant Sutar near his home in Kothrud, Pune.

The shocking incident came to light after Sutar's bodyguard fired upon a suspicious person near his Shashtrinagar home. The latter was keeping a close watch on Sutar's home for the last three days.

The incident comes close on the heels of Sutar's scathing attack on Chief Minister Manohar Joshi over the tabling of the Justice Dudhat Commission report last week. ''A cornered cat has no alternative but to retaliate in defence,'' he had thundered in the assembly.

Sutar's bodyguard had to resort to firing after he interrogated the suspicious man. The latter tried to enter the former minister's residence after he was overpowered by the bodyguard.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the stranger belonged to the intelligence department. Identifying himself as Patil, he disclosed that he had been keeping an eye on Sutar for the last three days.

Following this, the state intelligence department had launched a cover-up operation. According to it, Patil was deputed to gather information about a likely protest march that was to be led to Sutar's home after anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare released a booklet, 'exposing' Sutar.

The incident has created ripples in political circles and they are reading it as an ominous sign of things to follow.

Compiled by Prasanna D Zore from the Marathi media

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