Jalna, Oct. 24 -- Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil on Saturday intensified his demand for a high-level probe into a recently surfaced viral audio clip in which it is alleged that he was paid Rs 500 crore by Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde, son of former Maharashtra Chief Minister and current Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The amount was allegedly paid to weaken the Maratha movement, the audio clip claimed.

During a press conference held in Jalna, Jarange appealed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Shinde, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the matter. The activist alleged that a conspiracy is being hatched against him to defame and shut down...