Four days after the Hindu Rashtra Sena was accused of killing IT professional Mohsin Shaikh, the group vehemently denied its role in the murder, alleging that members were wrongly being framed.
"We are strongly against the defamation of Chhatrapati Shivaji and Bal Thackeray. But that does not mean we will kill anyone. The Congress-NCP government has falsely implicated our men," said RHS member Manoj Dhumal. The police have arrested 17 members of HRS and investigators say more arrests are likely in next few days. Among others arrested but not charged with the murder is HRS chief Dhananjay Desai.
On Monday evening, around 25 HRS members allegedly bludgeoned Shaikh to death.
On banning the HRS, police said it would be a long-drawn process. "To ban an organisation requires documenting huge evidence. It is in process," said Pune police commissioner Satish Mathur.