The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) raised questions over the police probe in the suicide case of a Pune woman in which the name of state forest minister from the Shiv Sena Sanjay Rathod has cropped up. BJP leaders said the police investigation is dubious and the evidences are not properly collated.
The 22-year-old victim was popular star on a video-sharing social networking app. She allegedly committed suicide on February 8 in Pune. The police have registered an accidental death case and ruled out any foul play. Though there were talks of foul play, the whole episode gained prominence when 11 audio clips of Rathod talking to his party worker about the victim became viral.
State BJP vice-president Chitra Wagh alleged that the victim’s family is under pressure to remain silent.
“The woman’s father said that he does not have any complaint against anybody. But at the same time, her grandfather and brother have called for a probe by the criminal investigation department CID in the case. The father appears to be under pressure for obvious reasons. The audio tapes which are in circulation on social media clearly indicate foul play, but the police have not gone through them properly, nor is the data from the victim’s mobile and laptop been retrieved,” she said, questioning how are two eyewitnesses, who stayed with the victim, missing.
Wagh also questioned about the whereabouts of Rathod. “He has been missing since the incident. Unfortunately, chief minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray said that he does not want his minister to be victimised or his political life be ruined. I think honourable CM has not heard the audio tapes. This is not about the minister’s life – it’s about the life of the victim. The minister should be booked for culpable homicide immediately,” she said.
{{/usCountry}}Wagh also questioned about the whereabouts of Rathod. “He has been missing since the incident. Unfortunately, chief minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray said that he does not want his minister to be victimised or his political life be ruined. I think honourable CM has not heard the audio tapes. This is not about the minister’s life – it’s about the life of the victim. The minister should be booked for culpable homicide immediately,” she said.
{{/usCountry}}State home minister Anil Deshmukh said, “Pune Police have been probing the case properly as per rules. CM has already said that the probe is in progress as per the laws. Action would be taken on the basis of the probe report. There is no substance in the allegations by the opposition.”