Mumbai, Dec 17 : The Thane Police have formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the charges against a top Maharashtra bureaucrat’s son who is accused of mowing down his girlfriend, a top official said here on Sunday.
Thane Police Commissiopner Jai Jeet Singh said that the SIT, headed by DCP (V) Amar Singh Jadhav will probe the matter where a woman complainant Priya Ume dra Singh has accused Ashwajit Anil Gaikwad and others.
“The SIT is looking into all the angles of the case. Statements of witnesses are being recorded and forensic evidences are being collected. Further sections of the law will be added and accused implicated as and if further facts are disclosed during the course of investigation,” said the Police Commissioner Singh.
The development came a day after Maharashtra Congress slammed the state government and police for failing to arrest Ashwajit, a senior bureaucrat’s son, who allegedly made an attempt to run over his girlfriend Singh under a SUV in Thane on December 11.
Congress Chief Spokesperson Atul Londhe said although a FIR has been registered on the victim’s complaint, the Thane Police have yet to arrest the prime accused, Ashwajit Gaikwad, and his friends, who made the murderous attempt on her.
Ashiwajit, 34, is the son of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) Vice-Chairman & Managing Director Anilkumar Gaikwad.
Singh, a beautician, had revealed the entire incident on her social media posts (IANS report – December 15 & 16), in which she named Ashwajit, his friends Romil Patil, Prasad Patil and Sagar Shelkar, while tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the state police and other dignitaries seeking action.
“There is something dubious about this and it raises suspicions… An attempt was made to crush a girl under a car (SUV) in Thane. The accused Ashwaji is a leader of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha and son of MSRDC head,” said Londhe.
In a jibe at Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, who handles the home portfolio, Londhe said that though he is an efficient and capable leader, if such a serious incident happens in a city like Thane, “it raises a question mark on his functioning and efficiency”.
“What is the home department doing… When will the criminal in the Thane case be arrested by police… Do BJP people think that they are above the law? Whether Gaikwad is not being arrested because his father is a high-ranking official in the government?” demanded Londhe.
He questioned that if the victim cannot be given justice then why raise slogans ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ and beat drums of women’s security, and demanded immediate action, no matter how highly connected any criminal may be.(IANS)