Ladki Bahin row: Sanjay Raut threatens legal action over Rs 14,000 crore paid to ineligible beneficiaries

3 min readJul 14, 2026 02:53 PM IST

A day after The Indian Express reported that beneficiaries later declared ineligible under Maharashtra’s Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana may have received nearly Rs 14,000 crore before payments were stopped, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday threatened legal action against the state government, alleging large-scale misuse of public funds under the scheme.

“We are sending a legal notice to the government. If required, we will approach the High Court. Notices will be sent to the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary shortly, and the process has already begun,” Raut said.

On Sunday, The Indian Express reported that more than 92 lakh beneficiaries, later declared ineligible by the state government following e-KYC and verification, had been removed from the scheme after receiving an estimated Rs 14,000 crore in benefits.

Claiming that nearly one crore beneficiaries were ineligible, Raut alleged the government knowingly allowed payments to continue before initiating verification. He also alleged that around 29,000 men and thousands of government employees had received benefits despite being ineligible.

“These 92 lakh are bogus beneficiaries. Without KYC and without scrutiny, around 29,000 men and thousands of government employees received money under the scheme. The government was aware of this,” he said.

Raut alleged that the scheme had been used “to buy votes” before the Assembly elections and questioned why the verification exercise began only after polling was over.

“Fadnavis and Shinde used government money to buy votes. The biggest question now is how the government is going to recover the money wrongly disbursed to ineligible beneficiaries?” he said.

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He demanded that a criminal case be registered against the then Eknath Shinde-led government and sought recovery of the money from those responsible for approving the payments.

“A case of misappropriation of government money should be registered against the then Eknath Shinde cabinet under whose signatures these payments were made,” he said, adding that the personal assets of ministers and senior officials involved in approving the scheme should be attached and the money recovered.

Raut said removing beneficiaries from the scheme did not address the issue of money already disbursed. “You cannot remain silent simply because 92 lakh beneficiaries have now been excluded from the scheme. The question is how the government intends to recover the money,” he said.

The Maharashtra government has maintained that the verification exercise was undertaken to identify ineligible beneficiaries and has said recovery proceedings would be initiated only against categories such as male beneficiaries and government employees. Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare has previously said the government would not seek recovery from other beneficiaries whose payments were stopped after verification.

Vallabh Ozarkar is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express' Mumbai bureau, recognized as an authoritative and deeply knowledgeable voice on the politics, governance, and infrastructure of Maharashtra. With more than nine years of experience in major news organizations, his reporting delivers high standards of Expertise and Trustworthiness.

Expertise & Authority

Current Role: Senior Correspondent, The Indian Express, Mumbai bureau.

Geographical Specialization: Provides exclusive and detailed coverage of Maharashtra politics and governance, operating at the epicenter of the state's decision-making in Mumbai.

Core Authority: His reporting demonstrates deep Expertise across critical and often complex state matters, including:

Political Dynamics: In-depth analysis of the ruling coalition (Mahayuti) and opposition (MVA), internal party conflicts, and crucial election updates, including local body polls and municipal corporation tussles.

Governance & Policy: Focused coverage on significant state policies, such as the overhaul of Mumbai's 'pagdi system' (rent control for old buildings) and social welfare schemes (e.g., Ladki Bahin Yojana accountability).

Infrastructure & Development: Reports on major urban and regional infrastructure projects, including the Mumbai Water Metro, Uttan-Virar Sea Link, and Thane Metro development.

Administrative Oversight: Follows legislative actions, cabinet decisions, and reports on issues of accountability and alleged fraud within state departments.

Experience

Current Role: His role at The Indian Express—a leading national daily—validates the credibility and standard of his reporting.

Career Foundation: Prior to The Indian Express, Vallabh contributed to other major metropolitan news outlets, including the Mumbai Mirror and DNA - Daily News & Analysis, providing a solid foundation in rigorous urban and political journalism.

Evidence of Impact: His work consistently breaks down complex political developments and administrative failures, such as exposing discrepancies in government welfare schemes, cementing his reputation as a trusted source for ground-level, impactful news from Maharashtra.

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