Tough Questions by High Court Over Badlapur Accused’s Death

The Bombay High Court has raised serious questions about the death of Akshay Shinde, the accused in the Badlapur sexual assault case. The court stated that prima facie, it seems like foul play and that an impartial investigation is necessary. The court also directed the police to preserve all CCTV footage from the time Shinde was taken out of jail until he was declared dead at Shivaji Hospital.

The police reported that Shinde, accused of sexually abusing two girls at a school in Badlapur, was being transferred from Taloja Jail to Badlapur. During the transfer, he allegedly snatched the pistol of Assistant Police Inspector Nilesh More and fired at the police team, injuring three officers. In response, the police shot and killed him.

However, after hearing the sequence of events narrated by the Chief Public Prosecutor representing the state, the court remarked, “It is hard to believe. Prima facie, there seems to be foul play. A layman cannot fire a pistol, unlike a revolver, which anyone can use. A weak person cannot load a pistol as it requires strength.”

The court was hearing a petition filed by the father of the accused, Anna Shinde, who had requested a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe his son’s death in what he alleged was a “fake encounter.” The petitioner claimed that his son was killed in view of the upcoming Assembly elections.

Aakhir Tak Editor-in-Chief

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