Tejas Navale
Pune, May 5, 2025: Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Deputy Speaker Anna Bansode finds himself embroiled in controversy after photos and videos from his recent birthday celebration went viral on social media. In the photos and videos of his birthday celebration, Bansode was seen celebrating his birthday with notorious gangster Akash Mohol.
In a video clip that has sparked political ripples, Bansode is seen standing next to Mohol — a notorious gangster from Pimpri-Chinchwad — while the gangster appears to be cutting and giving cake to Bansode. Adding to the buzz, Bansode’s son, Siddharth, is also seen smiling in the video. The video has triggered a barrage of questions from the people about Bansode’s possible links with the criminal.
According to police records, Mohol is a repeat offender with a string of criminal cases registered against him. Therefore, his presence at the Deputy Speaker’s celebration has raised a lot of eyebrows in the political circle.
Notably, the same event also saw the attendance of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. In this birthday celebration, Pawar had advised Bansode to be cautious about his public conduct. “You are now the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly. Naturally, all eyes will be on you. Therefore, henceforth, you must behave responsibly and also pay attention to your conduct while in public,” Pawar said while extending birthday greetings to Bansode.
As the controversy snowballed, Bansode issued a statement distancing himself from Mohol and the incident. “On my birthday, hundreds of people come to greet me. They bring flowers and cakes, and I meet them with goodwill. I don’t know every individual who comes, nor is it feasible to me to verify everyone’s identity. I am a public representative,” said Bansode.
