Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said police shot dead Badlapur school sexual assault case accused Akshay Shinde in self-defence.
Akshay Shinde, accused of sexually abusing two minor girls in the school where he worked as an attendant, was being taken to Badlapur from Taloja jail for investigation when he snatched a policeman's gun and fired at an assistant inspector when the police vehicle reached Mumbra bypass. He was killed in retaliatory firing by a police officer who was part of the escort team.
"Akshay Shinde's ex-wife had accused him of sexual violence and the police was taking him for a probe regarding these allegations. He snatched the gun of a police personnel opened fire. Police fired back in self-defence," CM Shinde told reporters.
However, the incident drew condemnation from the opposition parties who questioned the chain of events and also asked if it was a move to destroy evidence in a case that had triggered national outrage.
"Is it an attempt to destroy evidence? Were Akshay Shinde's hands not tied by the police during the transit? How could he reach for the gun, and how come the police were so careless? We demand a judicial probe in this matter," Leader of Opposition in the assembly Vijay Wadettiwar said.
There is no action against the "BJP-linked" school management but an arrested accused is shot dead in suspicious circumstances, he said, adding "we have no trust in Badlapur police".
Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sushma Andhare equated the incident with the gunning down of four rape accused in Telangana in 2019. "There too the police claimed it was done in self-defence. However, due to the deaths, the truth never came out. The same will be the case with the Badlapur sexual assault. Was Akshay Shinde killed as he was hiding something more sinister? Why is the school management still on the run," she said.
How come Akshay Shinde managed to snatch a gun despite being handcuffed and how did he know to operate the firearm, Andhare further questioned.
Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, who holds the home portfolio, must throw some light on these questions, she said, adding "it shows the state home minister's inability to handle critical cases."
Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said the incident must be probed by a sitting High Court judge. "We demand a detailed inquiry into the incident by a sitting HC judge so that all the facts come out. No one should be allowed to go scot-free. It is not clear whether the accused committed suicide or was killed. We do not trust this government, which cannot protect girls or give them justice," he said.
He also alleged inefficiency on the part of the Maharashtra police under DGP Rashmi Shukla. Hitting back, CM Shinde said, "Earlier, the opposition parties demanded that Akshay Shinde be hanged. Now, they are taking his side and questioning the integrity of Maharashtra police. Such act of the opposition leaders is condemnable and unfortunate."
When asked about the opposition's allegation that the accused was killed to gain political sympathy, the CM said these parties are rattled by the success of his government's Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme. "Therefore, these parties are making such insensitive allegations," Shinde asserted.
Speaking on the incident, Fadnavis said police opened fire in self-defence, leading to Akshay Shinde's death. He also said the police was taking him to Badlapur to probe allegations made by his ex-wife.
"The opposition raises questions on every issue. They had wanted him to be hanged. It is wrong to say such things when the police tried to save lives," the Deputy CM said while seconding the chain of events described by the CM. In a post on X, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar said, "The accused should have been hanged as per the legal provisions, but the actions of the Home Department, while transferring him (from Taloja Jail) are questionable."
The NCP (SP) supremo demanded an in-depth inquiry into the incident. Ujjwal Nikam said, "Two chargesheets were filed against Shinde, and I was the public prosecutor in both cases. Going by the submitted documents, there was sufficient evidence against Shinde. Maybe because of that, Shinde tried ending his life. We cannot rule out this possibility. A judicial probe will bring out the truth in this case
"The two young girls had already identified Akshay Shinde, and the Maharashtra police had collected other evidence against him," Nikam said. Asked if it was an encounter, Nikam, who unsuccessfully fought the 2024 Lok Sabha polls on a BJP ticket, said it would be inappropriate to jump to conclusions.