India, June 8 -- A political row erupted following the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence's (DRI) gold-smuggling crackdown at Mumbai airport, with Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut alleging links between one of the arrested accused and a BJP-backed labour union, a charge the BJP strongly denied.

Referring to the DRI operation, Raut alleged that Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan had entered labour union politics at Mumbai airport, weakened rival unions and built influence through groups that are now under scrutiny.

Sharing a photograph of Ajit Achrekar, one of the seven persons arrested in the gold-smuggling case, with Chavan on social media platform X, Raut claimed that Achrekar was the secretary of a BJP-led labour union.

"If th...