Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil sharpened his attack on Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday by releasing an audio clip that he claimed was proof of a conspiracy involving a purported Rs 500-crore payment. He also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to order a probe into his allegations.

At a press conference in Jalna, Jarange-Patil played an audio clip in which several individuals, including a woman speaking in Hindi, were allegedly heard discussing a Rs 500-crore payment to him. He claimed the recording supported his allegation that the Shiv Sena chief had told the BJP leadership in Delhi to pay the Maratha quota activist the money to “silence” him, a charge the deputy chief minister denied on Wednesday.

The Indian Express has not verified the authenticity of the clip.

“Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had asked for proof.…