Badlapur Sexual Assault Case: Maha CM Shinde Defends Police Action, Says What If Accused Had Run Away
Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde defended the police’s actions in the controversial custodial death of Akshay Shinde, a man accused of sexually assaulting two young girls in Badlapur, stating that the police acted in self-defence. His remarks came during the India Today Conclave, just hours after the Bombay High Court raised concerns over the incident, casting doubt on the official claim that it was an “encounter.”
The court questioned the circumstances surrounding Shinde’s death, emphasizing, “This cannot be termed an encounter,” and directed the police to preserve CCTV footage from the time the accused was taken from jail until his death at Shivaji Hospital. Akshay Shinde’s father had petitioned the court, demanding a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into what he called a “fake encounter.”
Defending the police’s actions, CM Shinde said, “It was self-defence. Had he fled, the Opposition would have criticized the police, asking if their guns were just showpieces.
They would have claimed that we let him escape. The cops were injured in the encounter. We should support the police.”
The Chief Minister also highlighted Akshay Shinde’s criminal history, stating that he had four wives, one of whom had previously filed a case of unnatural sex against him, describing him as a “monster.”
Referring to the Badlapur assault case, Shinde expressed outrage over the accused’s actions, especially given the age of the victims, who were just three and four years old. “When he sexually assaulted those girls, the same age as his daughters, imagine what they went through. This is an unfortunate incident,” he said.
Eknath Shinde also criticized the Opposition for what he called “politics of hypocrisy,” accusing them of changing their stance on the issue. He pointed out that while the Opposition initially led protests demanding swift justice, including a nine-hour blockade of railway services in Badlapur, they are now blaming the government following the encounter. “Now, when the encounter happened, they are blaming us. This is politics of hypocrisy,” Shinde remarked.
He further added that the people of Maharashtra were discerning and would hold the Opposition accountable in the upcoming state Assembly elections.
On Monday, police reported that Akshay Shinde, 23, was killed in retaliatory fire while being transported from Taloja jail to Badlapur. According to the police, Shinde had snatched a pistol from Assistant Police Inspector Nilesh More and fired at the officers, injuring three. In response, the police opened fire, resulting in Shinde’s death.
Shinde had been arrested on August 17 after being accused of sexually assaulting two young girls in a school toilet, an incident that had sparked massive public outrage and protests. Parents and locals had blocked railway lines at Badlapur railway station, demanding justice before being removed by police.
The High Court’s scrutiny of the custodial death, however, has now intensified the political and legal debate surrounding the incident.
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