Ample evidence against minister Sanjay Rathod in Pooja Chavan case but nothing happening, says Fadnavis

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday hit out at the Maharashtra government over Minister Sanjay Rathod's alleged involvement in the murder of a woman, saying that the government was more invested in celebrity tweets.

"There is ample evidence against Sanjay Rathod but nothing is happening. If media reports had not come out then nothing would have happened. Are we heading towards a banana republic? The police are under pressure. First, there has to be an investigation on the police itself," Fadnavis said.

He added, "They (Maharashtra government) are more interested in investigating Lata didi and Sachin Tendulkar tweets but their mouth is shut when it comes to their minister."

This comes weeks after the Maharashtra Home Minister l Deshmukh gave orders to the Intelligence Department to probe the row over tweets by celebrities, including Sachin Tendulkar and Lata Mangeshkar on the farmers' issue.

BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, too, called for Rathod's arrest and alleged that he was responsible for the death of the woman in the case.

"Sanjay Rathod should be arrested. He is responsible for the death of the woman. Is Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray waiting for instructions from (National Congress Party Chief) Sharad Pawar?" Somaiya asked.

On February 8, A 22-year-old girl, Pooja Chavan, had allegedly jumped off a building to end her life. Hailing from Parli town in Beed, Pooja had gone to Pune for an English speaking course. She lived in Heaven Park society along with two persons, who are reported to be her brother and one of his friends.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Director General of Police (DGP) Hemant Kumar Nagrale on Thursday said in a press conference that the Police are treating the Pooja Chavan suicide case as a crime and are investigating accordingly.

( With inputs from ANI )