CID to investigate killing of accused; father moves HC, seeks SIT probe

Mumbai: Maharashtra’s Crime Investigation Department (CID) will conduct a probe into the death of Badlapur sexual assault case accused Akshay Shinde, officials said on Tuesday.

A team of forensic science experts on Tuesday examined the police vehicle in which Shinde was allegedly shot by a cop on Monday evening.

Shinde, 24, was accused of sexually assaulting two minor girls at a school in Badlapur town of Thane district.

A contractual sweeper at the school in Badlapur, Shinde was arrested on August 17, five days after he allegedly sexually abused the two girls in the school toilet. He was killed near Mumbra bypass in Thane on Monday evening when he allegedly snatched the gun of a policeman while he was being ferried in a police vehicle as part of a probe into a case registered against him on the complaint of his former wife, an official earlier said.

After he shot and injured an API, another officer from the police escort team fired at him, and he was declared dead by doctors at the Kalwa civic hospital, the official said.

The Thane Police have registered a case of attempt to murder against Shinde and also filed a case of his accidental death. Following the incident, a case of attempt to murder against Shinde as well as a case of his accidental death has been registered at the Mumbra police station.

As the incident is concerning death in police custody, it will be investigated by the Maharashtra CID, a senior official said on Tuesday.

A team of CID officials will visit the spot at Mumbra bypass where the incident took place, he said, adding they will also record statements of police personnel who were in the vehicle at that time.

The CID officials will also record statements of Akshay Shinde’s parents, he said.

Shinde’s body was taken from the Kalwa civic hospital in Thane to the state-run JJ Hospital for post-mortem on Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile, Anna, in his petition filed through advocate Amit Katarnaware, alleged that his son was killed in a “fake encounter”. An SIT should be formed to probe the killing and the high court should monitor the investigation, the petition demanded. “The accused was in custody when he was shot dead in a fake encounter. This is a cold-blooded murder by criminals in uniforms,” advocate Katarnaware said.