Bombay HC issues notice to Maha govt in Thane engineer assault case

The Bombay High Court has asked the Maharashtra government as to why the Thane engineer assault case, in which state minister Jitendra Awhad's staff was allegedly involved, should not be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The state government has been asked to respond by April 30.

The High Court has also asked police to protect all CCTV footage of the case.

After hearing the case, the High Court on Thursday observed, "At this stage of the proceedings, it would be appropriate that a notice is issued to the state government to respond to the petitioner's case as to why the investigation in the present case be not transferred to the CBI."

"Reply affidavit to that effect be placed on record on or before April 30, 2020," it stated.

The High Court also observed, "In the meantime, it would be appropriate that the evidence in the nature of CCTV footage and the investigation so far made be also protected and kept in the safe custody of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Thane."

The case was registered by the petitioner on April 6 at Vartak Nagar Police Station, Thane.

The petitioner's case states that on April 5, at the instance of Jitendra Awhad, four police officers, who were posted as personal security for the minister along with several other persons, kidnapped the petitioner from his home, the court order said.

It said that the petitioner was taken to the residence of the minister at Thane and was questioned with regard to a Facebook post he had posted which is alleged to be against the minister.

"It is the petitioner's allegation that on the orders of the minister, his associates, including his security personnel (who were about 15 to 20 in number) assaulted the petitioner. The petitioner alleges of being mercilessly beaten up in the presence of the minister with sticks, pipes etc. The petitioner suffered multiple injuries," it stated.

( With inputs from ANI )