Maha govt opposes transfer of Palghar lynching case to CBI; files affidavit

The Maharashtra government on Monday filed an affidavit before the Supreme Court and opposed the transfer of the Palghar lynching case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The government stated that not only the petition filed by Shahsank Sekhar Jha who was seeking transferring of the case to CBI, be dismissed by the Supreme Court, but it should also impose a cost on him for wasting precious time of the Apex Court.

The Maharashtra Government informed that the state CID had investigated the case in a detailed and extensive manner and it had already filed two charge sheets in the Palghar lynching case. These two charge sheets had also been submitted to the Court.

The Maharashtra government further stated in its affidavit, a copy accessed and seen by ANI, revealed that after the departmental investigation carried out by the state CID, in the Palghar lynching case, against certain officials, one Assistant Police Inspector, Anadrao Shivaji Kale, was suspended from service for a certain period.

Besides this, the Maharashtra Government stated in its affidavit before the Apex Court, that Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Ravindra Dinkar Salunkhe and Head Constable, Naresh Dhondhi were given compulsory retirement from their services.

On the night of April 16, the two sadhus and their driver were travelling from Kandivali in Mumbai to attend a funeral in Gujarat's Surat amid the nationwide lockdown when their vehicle was stopped and they were attacked and killed by a mob in Gadchinchile village in the presence of police officers.