Four arrested in Nanavare double suicide case

All those arrested are former and current personal assistants of political leaders. “All of them knew Nanavare, as he too worked as the PA of a political leader,” said PI Shinde. “But none of them have revealed anything related to him so far. We will interrogate them further during their police custody”

THANE: The Thane police on Saturday arrested four people in the suicide case of Nandkumar Nanavare and his wife in Ulhasnagar, and secured their police custody up to August 24. The action was taken after Dhananjay Nanavare, the brother of the deceased, chopped off his right forefinger on camera and put up the video on social media to attract the government’s attention to police inaction in the case.

Dhananjay alleged that Nikalje had threatened him, his family and Nandkumar several times. “We tried to file a police case against him, but the police didn’t register our complaint, as Nikalje is a don in our area,” he said. “MLA Ranjit Naik Nimbalkar fully supported Nikalje in his act of threatening us.” According to the Thane police, Nikalje has obtained pre-arrest bail up to August 28. Apart from him and those arrested, the others are not traceable. (HT PHOTO)

The Nanavares had blamed eight people in a suicide note and a video: Sangram Nikalje, advocates Nitin Deshmukh and Dyaneshwar Deshmukh, Naresh Gaikwad, Shashikant Sathe, Kamlesh Nikam, Ganpati Kamble and MLA Ranjitsingh Naik Nimbalkar. Senior police inspector of the anti-extortion cell, Maloji Shinde, confirmed that four of them—Gaikwad, Sathe, Nikam and Kamble—had been arrested.

All those arrested are former and current personal assistants of political leaders. “All of them knew Nanavare, as he too worked as the PA of a political leader,” said PI Shinde. “But none of them have revealed anything related to him so far. We will interrogate them further during their police custody.”

The deceased had two brothers, one of whom lives in Phaltan in the Satara district while Dhananjay lives in Mandavgad near Phaltan. They were involved in various disputes, which Nandkumar was trying to solve. He himself had registered two cases, one of molestation and the other of atrocity, against his Phaltan neighbour identified as one Madane. Sources said that lawyers Dyaneshwar Deshmukh and Nitin Deshmukh, whose names are mentioned in the video, were representing these cases.

“The main accused are Sangram Nikalje and Ranjit Naik Nimbalkar,” alleged Dhananjay “My brother has clearly mentioned that the main conspirator is Nikalje, who called him to Ambarnath two or three times. Nikalje behaves like the don of Satara and has threatened me with a revolver in the past. He is my neighbour in Mandavgad and we have a dispute over the construction of a wall between our houses.”

Dhananjay alleged that Nikalje had threatened him, his family and Nandkumar several times. “We tried to file a police case against him, but the police didn’t register our complaint, as Nikalje is a don in our area,” he said. “MLA Ranjit Naik Nimbalkar fully supported Nikalje in his act of threatening us.” According to the Thane police, Nikalje has obtained pre-arrest bail up to August 28. Apart from him and those arrested, the others are not traceable.

Dhananjay added, “My brother has mentioned in the suicide note that Ganpati Kamble was aware of the harassment and mental torture he faced. So I have requested the police to question Kamble to get all the information.”

The Nanavare family remembers Nandkumar as someone who always lent a helping hand to family, friends and villagers. “My brother came to Mumbai when he was young,” said Dhananjay. “He educated himself and got a good job as a PA. We were proud of him. He was clearly going through a serious crisis, because of which he made the effort to leave a suicide note and two videos. It is the responsibility of the police to investigate them. Until they arrest the main conspirator Nikalje, I will continue to mutilate my body parts.”

The Nanavares have mentioned names in the suicide notes and videos, BUT have NOT clearly specified the role of everyone and what kind of harassment they subjected the couple to, according to police sources.

Meanwhile, a day after hospitalisation, Dhananjay took discharge against medical advice and went back to Satara.

Nanavare, was admitted at Ruby Hall Clinic, Pune on Friday evening at 5.30 p.m. for reconstructive surgery on his hand. A minister had called up the hospital for a special arrangement of a Green corridor and surgery.

Dr Prasad Muglikar, medical director of RHC, Pune, said the patient was admitted on Friday evening and took DAMA on Saturday morning and went. “The primary medical management was done but the patient was admitted for reconstructive surgery. Due to no consent from the patient, the surgery was cancelled. Without consent surgery cannot be done,” he said.