Badlapur sexual assault case accused's encounter: Oppn leaders seek action on guilty

Nagpur, Jan 20 (PTI) Opposition leaders Nana Patole, Anil Deshmukh and Aaditya Thackeray on Monday sought action in the killing of Badlapur sexual assault case accused Akshay Shinde after a magistrate's inquiry held five policemen responsible for the custodial death.

Shinde (24) was arrested in August 2024 for allegedly sexually assaulting two minor girls inside the toilet of a school in Badlapur in Thane district. He was an attendant at the school. On September 23, Shinde was killed in an alleged police shootout while being taken from Taloja prison for questioning.

The magistrate on Monday tendered an inquiry report in a sealed cover to the Bombay High Court, which was hearing a plea filed by Shinde's father, Anna Shinde, claiming the police killed his son in a fake encounter.

"The magistrate has conducted an inquiry and submitted its report. In the report, the magistrate has concluded that the five cops are responsible for the death of accused Akshay Shinde," the HC said on Monday.

NCP (SP) leader and former state home minister Anil Deshmukh said he had always suspected foul play in the case.

"How can someone with no knowledge of firearms snatch a police pistol and use it? The state government must conduct a detailed inquiry into the encounter. It is must be known why it was carried out and to shield whom," Deshmukh said.

Deshmukh claimed the Badlapur school was run by people close to the BJP.

Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said the incident was shameful, adding that the state government was shielding the accused by not letting the truth behind it come out.

"Those guilty should be punished severely," Patole said.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray asked if it was a "political encounter".

He asked if the killing was done ahead of the (assembly) polls (which took place in November) for political gains, he asked. PTI CLS ND BNM