Shiv Sena Leader Sanjay Raut Criticizes Police Encounter of Akshay Shinde
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 26: Sanjay Raut, leader of Shiv Sena (UBT), spoke out against the police encounter of Akshay Shinde, who was accused of sexual assault in Badlapur. Raut alleged that the State Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister orchestrated the encounter to protect BJP and RSS affiliates associated with the same institution as the accused.
Raut accused the Maharashtra government of using the police encounter for political gain, claiming that the CM and his Deputy are competing to take credit for the situation. He stated, “Rapists should be taught a tough lesson. And these fast-track courts should not get into such cases. There should be immediate justice.” However, he added, “If you encounter such people for your own political gain, then it is wrong.”
Raut criticized the competition surrounding police encounters, accusing CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis of fighting to take credit. He also attacked Fadnavis, alleging that over a hundred women have been tortured, raped, and murdered in his assembly constituency in the past year without similar police action.
Raut questioned the inconsistency in the government’s response to crimes against women and suggested a connection between the encounters and political affiliations. He claimed that the encounter was conducted to protect BJP and RSS affiliates and that the true nature of the case might be hidden from the public.
The Bombay High Court also expressed concerns about Akshay Shinde’s police encounter. Justice Chavan noted that it is difficult to believe the official account, pointing out that a common man can’t easily fire a pistol. The accused’s father, Anna Shinde, has filed a petition demanding a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe, claiming his son was killed in a fake encounter. The court has directed that all case papers be handed over to the state CID for investigation and set October 3 as the next hearing date.
Akshay Shinde, 23, was arrested on August 17 for allegedly sexually abusing two girls in a school toilet. According to police reports, he opened fire on police while being transported from jail, resulting in his death. This incident has sparked controversy between the ruling Mahayuti government and the opposition as Maharashtra heads toward Assembly polls later this year.
Doubts Revealed
Shiv Sena -: Shiv Sena is a political party in India, mainly active in the state of Maharashtra. It was founded by Bal Thackeray.
Sanjay Raut -: Sanjay Raut is a senior leader of the Shiv Sena party. He is also a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, which is the upper house of India’s Parliament.
Police Encounter -: A police encounter is when the police shoot and kill a person who is accused of a crime. Sometimes, these encounters are controversial and people question if they were necessary.
Akshay Shinde -: Akshay Shinde was a person accused of sexual assault. He was killed in a police encounter, which has led to a lot of debates and questions.
BJP -: BJP stands for Bharatiya Janata Party. It is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Indian National Congress.
RSS -: RSS stands for Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. It is a Hindu nationalist organization in India that has close ties with the BJP.
CM -: CM stands for Chief Minister. The Chief Minister is the head of the government in an Indian state, similar to a Prime Minister but for a state.
Deputy CM -: Deputy CM stands for Deputy Chief Minister. This person assists the Chief Minister in running the state government.
Bombay High Court -: The Bombay High Court is one of the oldest High Courts in India. It is located in Mumbai and has the authority to hear cases from the state of Maharashtra.
Special Investigation Team -: A Special Investigation Team (SIT) is a group of police officers who are specially chosen to investigate a particular case. They are usually formed when a case is very important or controversial.
Fake Encounter -: A fake encounter is when the police kill someone and then falsely claim it was in self-defense or during a shootout. This is illegal and wrong.