In a late-night development, the Thane police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) arrested a top Maharashtra bureaucrat’s son in the infamous case of the “mowing down” of a woman, officials said on Sunday.
The Thane Kasarvadawali police have arrested prime accused Ashwajit Gaikwad, and two of his friends Romil Patil and Sagar Shelke.
Police have also seized their two SUVs – a Scorpio and Land Rover Defender, which were allegedly lused in the crime, for the probe.
Under fire from various quarters, Thane Police Commissioner Jai Jeet Singh had annoumced the SIT, headed by DCP (V) Amar Singh Jadhav, to probe the matter where woman complainant Priya Umendra Singh had accused Gaikwad and others for the murderous attack on her.
“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 amd accused implicated as and if further facts are disclosed during the course of investigation,” said the Police Commissioner Singh.
Gaikwad, 34, is the son of 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, in which she named Gaikwad, his friends Romil Patil, Prasad Patil and Shelkar, while tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the state police and other dignitaries seeking action.
The development came a day after Maharashtra Congress slammed the state government and police for failing to arrest the 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’ complaint, the Thane police have yet to arrest the prime accused and his friends, who made the murderous attempt on her.
“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 has 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”.
