The Bombay High Court on Wednesday heard the petition filed by accused's father alleging fake encounter of Akshay Shinde in Badlapur sexual assault case. The case was heard by the division bench of Revati Mohite Dere and Justice Prithviraj Chavan, which asked the government to run fingerprint test on the weapon and conduct handwash of the officers involved including Nilesh More, who got shot and injured by Akshay's firing.
''Hard to call it encounter,' says HC
While hearing the case, the High Court made a big statement on Akshay's death. The court observed that it is hard to believe that four policemen could not overpower an untrained accused. The court also asked the police whether they shoot directly in the head or the leg or hand first, raising questions about the encounter.
After CPP Venegaonkar argued that only Sanjay Shinde was present in front of the accused and that it was Sanjay's instant reaction. However, the court made strong comments and said that it is hard to call it an encounter as it differs from the definition of encounter.
HC says police should clear the whole picture
Meanwhile, CPP presented the whole timeline since the FIR was registered by Akshay's ex-wife and the encounter. After seeking details of the incident, the court also asked the CPP who loaded the pistol. Explaining the technicalities, CPP said that it got loaded during the altercation.
The High Court raised questions on this theory too by stating that pulling the slider needs strength. The court said that they did not intend to raise suspicion but the police needs to clear the picture.
Court directs to collect call recording of officials
After hearing the court adjourned the hearing till next week. Meanwhile, it directed Venegaonkar to collect call records of all the four officials, driver, hand wash of all five people, CCTV recordings from nearybay areas. The bench also asked for the videography of crime scene.
What we know about case?
The bench of Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice Prithviraj Chavan is hearing the petition. 24-year-old Shinde was accused of sexually assaulting two minor girls in a school in Badlapur in Thane district. Shinde, a contracted sweeper in the school, was arrested on 17 August. There were massive protests in the state after the sexual harassment case came to light. Police officials said that Shinde was being taken from Taloja jail in Navi Mumbai to Badlapur on Monday evening in connection with an FIR lodged against him on the complaint of his ex-wife, when the firing incident took place, in which he died.
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