Two leaders in two parts of India, both known as strongmen, both trusted lieutenants, both named in graft cases. And both have abused police officers.

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, once tipped to be the successor to his uncle, the Maratha strongman Sharad Pawar, was caught on phone allegedly threatening Solapur’s deputy superintendent of police Anjana Krishna, a 2022-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer.

“Itna aap ko daring hua hai kya [Have you become so daring]?” Pawar, known as Ajitdada to his followers, asked DSP Krishna, who was overseeing an operation against illegal excavation in Solapur’s Kurdu village.

The incident is from at least a week ago.

An NCP worker had handed over his phone to the IPS officer, who asked Pawar, one of the two deputy chief ministers of Maharashtra, to call her on her number.

A few months ago, in Bolpur, the Trinamool strongman Anubrata Mondal – who has never contested an election or held any constitutional post – had allegedly abused the officer-in-charge of the local police station and issued sex threats to the police officer’s family.

The Trinamool was quick to distance itself from the former Birbhum district party chief, whose writ runs large over the district and also parts adjoining Burdwan.

Mondal, who had spent over two years at the Tihar jail in a cattle-smuggling case, has a history of using foul language against cops as well as political rivals. His tongue did not even spare the late poet Sankha Ghosh.

Based on a complaint filed by officer-in-charge Liton Haldar, a case was filed against Mondal under sections 224 (threatening a public servant), 132 (assault or criminal force against a public servant), 75 (sexual harassment), and 25 (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS). Two of the charges were non-bailable.

Police sources had told The Telegraph then that the action taken against Anubrata was because of the threat of a near revolt among police officers that could have hurt the ruling party with elections approaching next year.

Mondal surrendered at the Bolpur Sub-divisional court on August 18 and got anticipatory bail.

Twice, he had skipped summons issued by the Birbhum police. When he did appear before the cops on June 6, he feigned not remembering abusing the officer. One of his aides had blamed artificial intelligence for the purported audio of the call that was played across TV channels.

The Birbhum district police had even initiated a probe on how the call between the Trinamool strongman and the officer-in-charge got leaked.

Halder is still serving at the Bolpur police station.

In Maharashtra, after the video of Pawar’s purported call to the DSP spread far and wide, the Maharashtra deputy chief minister attempted to clear the air. He has not denied he had made the call.

“Let me state clearly that my intention was not to interfere with law enforcement but to ensure that the situation on the ground remained calm and did not escalate further,” Pawar said, writing in both Marathi and English on his X handle.

“I have the highest regard for our police force and its officers, including the women officers who serve with distinction and courage and I value the rule of law above all. I remain firmly committed to transparent governance and to ensuring that every illegal activity, including sand mining, is dealt with strictly as per the law.”

On the same day the video of the call went viral, an MLA from Pawar’s faction of the NCP, Amol Mitkari, wrote to the UPSC secretary demanding a probe into the educational and caste certificates and other documents submitted by the IPS officer..

On Saturday, Mitkari retracted his comments and apologised.

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Not a word has been heard from the chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, though it is the BJP which handles the home and revenue departments, and though it is the BJP that has outraged most over Mondal’s “threat call”.

Those familiar with Maharashtra’s politics say Pawar is known for his hands-on governance, data-driven decisions and being a workaholic as well as his somewhat brusque approach while dealing with bureaucrats and getting things done on the ground.

Truly, politics across India is similar – be it Maharashtra or Bengal.