Union Minister Nitin Gadkari’s official residence on Motilal Nehru Road in Delhi received a threatening phone call on Monday night, according to officials cited by news agency PTI. The call, made by an unknown man, was answered by Gadkari’s office staff. The caller demanded to speak with the minister and issued threats without providing any further information. The call was promptly reported to the Delhi Police, now investigating the matter.
The police stated that the caller spoke in Hindi and intended to talk with the minister and threaten him before disconnecting the call. Authorities are analyzing call records to trace the number and identify the individual responsible for the threat.
It should be noted that earlier this year, the minister’s office in Nagpur had also received similar threat calls on two separate occasions. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had initiated an investigation into the matter, suspecting that the calls were made by Jayesh Pujari alias Kantha, a murder convict currently in jail in Belagavi, Karnataka. Pujari was booked under the anti-terror law UAPA.
Nitin Gadkari, hailing from Maharashtra, is currently serving as the Minister of Road Transport and Highways. With over eight years in office, he is the longest-serving minister in his role. In a recent event commemorating the death anniversary of former Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Gadkari emphasized the significance of the “politics of service” over-reliance on posters and banners to win votes. He announced his decision to refrain from using posters and offering tea to constituents in the next election, believing that those who intend to vote will do so regardless. Gadkari expressed confidence in increasing his winning margin in the upcoming poll.