THANE (Maharashtra) : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Ganpat Gaikwad accused of shooting at Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde faction leader Mahesh Gaikwad was sent to police custody till February 14 by a Magistrate court on Saturday.
BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad and two other accused were brought to Ulhasnagar court. The other two accused in the case have also been sent to police custody till February 14.
During the hearing, Special Public Prosecutor submitted that this crime which has shaken the whole society and a detailed investigation is needed into the matter.
“It has been committed by a public representative inside a police station and it’s not any political matter. That is why a detailed investigation is needed,” Special Public Prosecutor told the Magistrate court.
Arguing in defence of the BJP MLA, lawyer Rahul Arote submitted before the court that there was no question of preparation to kill someone and Ganpat Gaikwad had just went to the police station to register his complaint.
“MLA had not gone to police station just to open fire. He had gone there to register his complaint . There is not any question of preparation to kill someone. He is MLA and by virtue of his designation he had a body guard with his service revolver. Hebhasbalso been made accused,” Rahul Arote submitted.
“They have not brought the injury certificate with the remand so it’s not clear that if the bullets fired hit them,” he added.
Objecting to this, Special Public Prosecutor submitted that there have been six bullets which hit the first injured and two bullets hit the body of the second injured.
“One patient is in ICU and they are saying that no one was injured,” Special Public Prosecutor said in the court.
When the accused were presented before the court for remand and Magistrate asked the accused that if they had any complaint against police, MLA Ganpat Gaikwad said that accused people were not involved or not even present at the spot and they are being framed and arrested in this case. “Everything is being done in this case on the pressure of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde,” Gaikwad said.
Earlier, police arrested Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Ganpat Gaikwad and two of his associates in the Ulhasnagar firing incident which happened over a land dispute.
Mahesh Gaikwad and Rahul Patil who were critically injured at the firing incident, have been admitted to the Jupiter Hospital in Thane for treatment.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadanavis have ordered a high-level inquiry into the police station firing incident. Eknath Shinde also visited Jupiter Hospital in Thane to meet his party leader Mahesh Gaikwad.
A Crime Branch Special Investigation Team (SIT) has also been formed to investigate the incident.
Ganpat Gaikwad is MLA from Kalyan east constituency. (ANI)