Thane, Oct 28 Maharashtra minister and senior Shiv Sena leader Pratap Sarnaik said on Wednesday that his party colleague and Thane ex-mayor Meenakshi Shinde should step down till the completion of the probe into the murder of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Pradeep Purnekar.
He also clarified that it was his personal opinion.
Chaos erupted after hundreds of supporters of Purnekar blocked Thane’s arterial Ghodbunder Road and burnt tyres, causing a huge traffic jam overnight, stranding commuters for hours and forcing many to walk several kilometres to reach home.
Pradeep Purnekar’s son, Ram Purnekar, has demanded the arrest of former Thane mayor Meenakshi Shinde and her husband Rajendra Shinde in connection with his father’s murder on September 29.
The protest began after police detained Ram Purnekar on Tuesday while attempting to march towards the residence of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who heads the rival Shiv Sena, in Thane.
Addressing a joint press conference, Sarnaik and Thane MP Naresh Mhaske accused opposition parties of politicising the murder, stressing that an SIT probe was underway into the murder.
At the press conference, Sarnaik said it was his personal opinion that Meenakshi Shinde should step down on moral grounds until the investigation concluded. The ex-mayor is a corporator in the Thane Municipal Corporation and an office-bearer of the local Shiv Sena unit.
Sarnaik said he has already shared his views with Eknath Shinde.
Accusing opposition parties of doing politics over Purnekar’s murder to target Eknath Shinde, Mhaske said the Shiv Sena initially maintained restraint out of sympathy and respect for the grieving family, but the rivals should not test their patience.
“If opposition figures continue to maliciously target Eknath Shinde and create chaos in Thane, we will not allow them to return safely from Thane,” he said, stressing that the Shiv Sena chief had instructed police to conduct an impartial inquiry immediately after the crime. As a result, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed, he said.
Meanwhile, the Thane police said they were committed to carrying out a thorough probe into the murder of Purnekar.
Addressing a press conference, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Punjabrao Ugale said, “We are conducting a comprehensive, transparent, and legally sound investigation into all aspects of the case, and no individual will be shielded regardless of their stature.”
He said every single video clip, photograph, and piece of evidence provided to the police was being meticulously examined and verified through scientific and technical channels.
“Law enforcement operates strictly on evidence and due process of law, and our teams are working round the clock to unearth the complete truth and bring all actual perpetrators to justice,” he said.
He said the probe is underway and that the SIT wants to firmly establish the motive behind the murder before filing the chargesheet. The SIT will continue to summon individuals for interrogation as new details emerge, he said.
Asked about the allegations against Meenakshi Shinde and her husband Rajendra Shinde, the official said they too are being questioned. “The police will take appropriate decisions as the probe progresses. No one will be spared,” he said.
On Tuesday, Meenakshi Shinde appeared before the Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC) office for questioning. “I am cooperating fully with the police,” she told reporters.
Purnekar’s family members have alleged that the police are operating under intense political pressure.
(PTI News)
