Sanjay Raut, a Shiv Sena (UBT) MP, has alleged in a recent installment of his prison memoir that the Narendra Modi administration coerced Jagdeep Dhankhar into stepping down as Vice President by leveraging the threat of central investigative agencies, as the NDA government was displeased with his 'independent decisions'.
Dhankhar unexpectedly stepped down in July 2025, mentioning health issues as the reason.
In the section about him, Raut asserted that the Enforcement Directorate had compiled a dossier on Dhankhar concerning his real estate transactions and funds moved to foreign accounts, which was utilized when the government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi grew displeased with Dhankhar's autonomous political choices.
Raut has included four new chapters in the English edition of his book, 'Unlikely Paradise', which was first published last year. He discusses the activities of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) that led to it being labeled as a BJP 'branch', and how it was utilized by the central government against democratic bodies and positions like the Election Commission of India (ECI), as well as the pressures exerted on Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar to step down.
Half of the book's chapters focus on the Enforcement Directorate and associated matters, titled 'Supreme Court vs. ED' and 'At the Doors of the EC and the Home of the VP'. The book was launched in Delhi on Monday by AAP leader and ex-Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, along with former Union minister Kapil Sibal, among others.
He authored: 'There were rumors that Dhankhar and his spouse sold their Jaipur home and moved some of the funds abroad. The Enforcement Directorate, monitoring their actions, supposedly compiled a dossier to charge the former vice president, in collaboration with other investigative bodies. When rumors surfaced about Dhankhar's independent political actions against the Modi administration, the ED allegedly confronted him with this dossier, urging him to step down. His initial refusal resulted in increased scrutiny, making him appear noticeably uncomfortable.'
Raut has also claimed that the ED's reach includes overseeing the appointments and operations of judges, as well as the President of India.
Responding to the allegations, Navnath Ban, the chief spokesperson for the BJP in Maharashtra, stated: 'The mere presence of information in a book does not confirm its truthfulness; serious accusations demand substantial proof, official records, or explicit declarations from the involved parties. Accusing individuals who have held significant constitutional roles aims to cast doubt on the nation's institutions.'
Dhankhar has largely avoided the topic, only recently mentioning that he hadn't actually stepped down due to 'health issues'.
He did not elaborate on the reasons for his resignation at that time. 'I simply mentioned that I was prioritizing my health, which is something everyone should consider,' he stated in Sadulpur, located in Rajasthan's Churu district, on February 26, 2026.
Following Dhankhar's resignation, there was political speculation in Delhi suggesting that his initiative to begin the impeachment process against Justice Yashwant Varma, based on a motion led by the Opposition, might have displeased the government. It was reported that he had encouraged Opposition leaders to submit a notice for Justice Varma's impeachment in the Rajya Sabha, which he presided over as Vice President, despite the government's preference to introduce the notice in the Lok Sabha. The former judge of the Delhi High Court is facing removal after an undisclosed sum of money was discovered at his home in March 2025.
According to a report by The Bridge Chronicle at the time, no NDA MPs signed the Opposition-backed notice in the Rajya Sabha, seemingly because they were unaware that such a notice was being drafted..
Dhankhar's announcement of receiving the motion almost derailed the government's plan to unilaterally remove Justice Varma. A Lok Sabha official told the Bridge Chronicle in July, 'The government intended to first approve the impeachment motion in the Lok Sabha. This would have been hailed as a governmental success and sent a powerful signal to the judiciary. However, Dhankhar ended up taking center stage.'
A frustrated Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) decided that party president and Rajya Sabha Leader JP Nadda, together with parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju, would refrain from participating in a Business Advisory Committee meeting led by Dhankhar.
According to Opposition leaders, there were additional underlying issues apart from Justice Varma.Dhankhar discussed the 'pressure' associated with his role and mentioned that he had 'made extra efforts' to meet the demands of the ruling party. Additionally, he encountered a no-confidence motion from the Congress-led Opposition due to accusations of partiality.
