Not Bag Of Cash, Just 'Dirty Laundry': Shiv Sena MLA Shirsat Hits Back At Oppn Over Viral Video

Last Updated:July 11, 2025, 18:20 IST

In the clip, Shirsat is seen casually sitting on a bed, smoking, with a large bag beside him, which opposition leaders allege contains illicit cash

Refuting the cash bag theory, Shirsat explained the bag contained clothes from a recent trip. Image: X/@rautsanjay61

Maharashtra MLA Sanjay Shirsat from Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena has spoken out after a video of him smoking a cigarette next to what appears to be a bag full of cash in his bedroom went viral. The video, which emerged late Wednesday, quickly sparked political debate, especially after Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut claimed it confirmed his earlier accusations of corruption in the Shinde camp. In the clip, Shirsat is seen casually sitting on a bed, smoking, with a large bag beside him. The bag has led to online speculation, with opposition leaders alleging it contains illicit cash.

Sharply responding, Shirsat dismissed the allegations. “I saw the video myself through a friend from your channel," the minister told reporters. “What does it show? It shows my house, my bedroom. I am on my bed, my beloved dog is next to me, and there’s a bag near me. So what? Does this prove I’m hoarding cash?"

Refuting the cash bag theory, Shirsat explained that it contained clothes from a recent trip. “I had just returned from travel. I had kept my bag on the bed after unpacking my clothes. If I really wanted to hide bundles of cash, do you think I’d leave it on the bed? Are the cupboards in my house dead or broken?" he asked sarcastically. “If I had cash, I would have stuffed it safely in a wardrobe."

Criticising his detractors, Shirsat remarked, “These people see nothing but cash everywhere. Earlier, they claimed security guards of Eknath Shinde carried bags of money too. They think if there’s a bag, it must have cash. They can’t even imagine that people travel and pack clothes."

He also dismissed concerns that the leaked video could harm his political career. “Such drama will not dent my career. If someone shot a video inside my house, so be it—I have nothing to hide. I don’t run my house like ‘Matoshree’ with closed doors. Anyone can come in; there’s no secrecy," he said.

The MLA concluded his rebuttal with a final jab. “Next time they find a bag, they’ll call it cash again. These are clothes, not currency notes," he said. As political tensions rise, Shirsat’s camp insists the controversy is just another attempt to target him ahead of crucial political moves in Maharashtra.

News politics Not Bag Of Cash, Just 'Dirty Laundry': Shiv Sena MLA Shirsat Hits Back At Oppn Over Viral Video