THANE: While the Thane police have started investigating the alleged assault on a Shiv Sena UBT activist, Roshani Shinde Pawar, following permission from the Thane magistrate court, the state women’s commission on Thursday issued a notice to the Thane police and asked the Thane police chief to remain present before it on April 11 with its report. The commission, chaired by Rupali Chakankar, said it was not satisfied with the action taken by Thane police and invoked the state women’s commission Act, 1960, to direct the police commissioner, Jaijeet Singh, to be present.
Kasarvadavali police had registered a non-cognizable (NC) offence on Tuesday under Section 323 of IPC in the incident after the activist alleged she was assaulted by some supporters of CM Eknath Shinde over a post she had put up on social media. The police said they needed the magistrate court’s nod to conduct a preliminary probe into the NC under Section 155 (2) of CrPC. Procedurally, if police want to probe an NC, they need to approach a court for permission. Approval was granted on Wednesday by magistrate P S Dhumal of Thane court.
Police have now recorded statements of two women who allegedly witnessed the “assault.” Police said they are verifying facts of the complaint made by Pawar.
The development comes after demand for a probe and protests by UBT camp leaders claiming deliberate inaction by Thane police. Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray have criticised the state government and Thane police for failing to take cognisance of the incident.
Meanwhile, the Thane unit of the Shiv Sena, accused of triggering the alleged assault on Pawar, has now approached Thane police demanding protection for the UBT activist as it fears for her life. “It seems UBT Sena leaders are desperate to malign the CM’s image and show he is not responding. They have made many baseless allegations against us, and we fear they could stoop to any low and harm the woman activist to gain political mileage for themselves,” alleged Meenakshi Shinde, Thane Sena functionary. Sena MP and Shinde supporter, Bhavna Gawli, also is learnt to have approached home minister Amit Shah in the matter.
Meanwhile, a Sena (UBT) woman functionary from Thane’s Wagle Estate has approached the police commissioner alleging threat calls made by a former woman Shiv Sena corporator, officials said. The ex-corpoartor has written to the Thane CP alleging the complainant had posted derogatory comments about her on social media.
Kasarvadavali police had registered a non-cognizable (NC) offence on Tuesday under Section 323 of IPC in the incident after the activist alleged she was assaulted by some supporters of CM Eknath Shinde over a post she had put up on social media. The police said they needed the magistrate court’s nod to conduct a preliminary probe into the NC under Section 155 (2) of CrPC. Procedurally, if police want to probe an NC, they need to approach a court for permission. Approval was granted on Wednesday by magistrate P S Dhumal of Thane court.
Police have now recorded statements of two women who allegedly witnessed the “assault.” Police said they are verifying facts of the complaint made by Pawar.
The development comes after demand for a probe and protests by UBT camp leaders claiming deliberate inaction by Thane police. Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray have criticised the state government and Thane police for failing to take cognisance of the incident.
Meanwhile, the Thane unit of the Shiv Sena, accused of triggering the alleged assault on Pawar, has now approached Thane police demanding protection for the UBT activist as it fears for her life. “It seems UBT Sena leaders are desperate to malign the CM’s image and show he is not responding. They have made many baseless allegations against us, and we fear they could stoop to any low and harm the woman activist to gain political mileage for themselves,” alleged Meenakshi Shinde, Thane Sena functionary. Sena MP and Shinde supporter, Bhavna Gawli, also is learnt to have approached home minister Amit Shah in the matter.
Meanwhile, a Sena (UBT) woman functionary from Thane’s Wagle Estate has approached the police commissioner alleging threat calls made by a former woman Shiv Sena corporator, officials said. The ex-corpoartor has written to the Thane CP alleging the complainant had posted derogatory comments about her on social media.
