MUMBAI, July 22 -- Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday claimed that four ministers in the Mahayuti government were ensnared in a honey trap by a certain Prafulla Lodha, who, he alleged, was associated with the BJP. Lodha was arrested on Monday by the Mumbai police on charges of sexually assaulting a woman and two minors. Sharing a photograph of Lodha and BJP minister Girish Mahajan, Raut demanded that the BJP clarify if any of its leaders were involved in the honey trap case. Mahajan, in turn, produced photographs of Lodha with politicians from different parties and ridiculed the claims of a honey trap racket. Raut shared the photo of Lodha and Mahajan along with a post on X. "Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis misled (the Opposition) even in the assembly," went the post. "He said there was no honey trap in Maharashtra. Institute a CBI inquiry on this photo and the truth will come out. Four ministers in the state cabinet and many officers were caught in a honey trap." Raut claimed that the same racket was used earlier to pull down the MVA government. While speaking to the media, he alleged that the honey trap racket began in Delhi, and 16 to 17 MLAs of the undivided Shiv Sena and four MPs were snared in it to topple the Thackeray-led government. "Read tomorrow's editorial in Saamna," he added, indicating more revelations in this matter. The Sena (UBT) MP claimed that two ministers caught in the honey trap were from the BJP. Claiming that Fadnavis knew about this, which was why action had been initiated against Lodha in the police cases on Monday, he said, "The BJP used Lodha to trap opposition leaders but it boomeranged on them." Later in the evening, Raut also posted an old video of Lodha issuing a threat that if he pressed one button, there would be serious consequences. Former BJP leader and NCP (SP) legislator Eknath Khadse on Monday alleged that Lodha had threatened Girish Mahajan through the video. "Lodha and Mahajan had good relations earlier but later separated over a dispute," he said. "Lodha has some evidence against Mahajan and that's why he threatened to make it public. He also alleged a threat to his life." Ajit Chavan, co-chief spokesperson of the BJP, said that Lodha had nothing to do with the party organisation. "He has some photos with our party leaders and that too because anyone can meet our leaders who live among the public," he said. "Besides, this same Lodha some time ago made statements against Mahajan, which shows that Mahajan has nothing to do with him." Mahajan, on his part, displayed photos of Lodha with various party leaders, including Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, Jayant Patil and Prakash Ambedkar. "Lodha might have taken photographs with me several years ago during some celebration," he said. "Recently, his photos with leaders of all parties have become public-did we say that he has connections with all these parties and leaders?" Mahajan refuted Eknath Khadse's charges, saying that Khadse had lost his mental balance, as he was thrown out of power and despite his attempts, the BJP did not take him back. "He says anything out of frustration," he said. "This same Lodha had demanded an inquiry into the death of Khadse's son."...