Parents of Akshay Shinde, the accused in the Badlapur sexual assault case of two minor girls, outside the Kalwa Hospital where his body was brought after the police shooting, in Thane
Credit: PTI Photo
Mumbai: Amid severe criticism from opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and stinging observations from the Bombay High Court, the Maharashtra government has formed a Commission of Inquiry to probe into the encounter killing of Akshay Shinde, the prime accused in the Badlapur sexual assault case.
Justice Dilip Bhosale (Retd), former Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court, has been appointed as head of the judicial probe.
The Commission of Inquiry was set up by the Eknath Shinde-headed BJP-led Maha Yuti government hours before the Bombay High Court hears the appeal of Akshay Shinde parents - Anna Shinde and Alka Shinde, who had claimed that he was eliminated in a "fake encounter".
The opposition parties - Congress, Uddhav Thackeray-headed Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) have been seeking a detailed probe into the issue preferably by a judicial commission.
The notification by the Home department said: “…an incident occurred at Mumbra Bypass, Thane on the 23 September 2024, wherein there was an exchange of fire between one accused person named Akshay Shinde, and the accompanying police escort party, resulting into injuries to both, the accused and one police officer. The accused Shri Akshay Shinde was taken to the hospital for treatment where he was declared dead on arrival…”.
The government including Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar has asserted that the police have fired in self defence.
The Commission was set up under Section 3 of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952.
The Commission would submit its report in three months’ time.
The probe will also focus on whether any individual or group of individuals or organisation was seen directly or indirectly responsible for the incident. It will also ascertain whether steps taken by the police in handling the situation were appropriate. The panel will conduct a detailed examination of all related aspects and events of the incident. “The commission will suggest short-term and long-term measures to be taken by police to avoid recurrence of such an incident,” the gazette notification said.