The Bombay High Court on Wednesday questioned inconsistencies in the timeline surrounding the death of Akshay Shinde, an accused in the Badlapur sexual assault case, and ordered the seizure of crucial CCTV footage to aid the investigation.
A division bench of Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice Prithviraj Chavan directed authorities to preserve footage from the time Shinde exited his barrack and entered the police van, up until his body reached the hospital. The court also asked for CCTV footage of a meeting between Shinde and his parents that took place just hours before his death to be submitted.
Shinde, a school sweeper accused of sexually assaulting two minor girls in Badlapur, Maharashtra, died on Monday in what police described as retaliatory firing. According to the police, Shinde snatched a service pistol while being transported from Taloja Jail to Badlapur for further investigation, leading to a fatal confrontation.
Shinde’s father, Anna Shinde, has filed a petition seeking a comprehensive investigation into what he claims was a “fake encounter.” Through his counsel, Shinde’s father demanded the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against the officers involved and called for the preservation of CCTV footage from areas near Taloja Bridge and other locations where police allegedly picked up his son.
The petitioner’s counsel also alleged that Shinde had met his parents just hours before the encounter, during which he requested Rs 500 for essential items. The counsel argued that Shinde showed no signs of planning an escape and expressed suspicion that the encounter might have been politically motivated, citing social media posts from political leaders praising the incident.
The court raised doubts about the police version of events, particularly how Shinde, who lacked firearms training, was able to operate a police pistol. Justice Chavan pointed out, “A layman cannot fire a pistol unless trained,” further questioning whether Shinde had been handcuffed during transport. The counsel responded that Shinde had been handcuffed initially but was freed after he asked for a glass of water.
The court also inquired whether forensic analysis of the pistol had been conducted to check for fingerprints, to which the petitioner’s counsel confirmed that the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) had collected prints.
Shinde’s death occurred as the police vehicle approached the Mumbra bypass. According to authorities, Shinde was shot in the left thigh after opening fire on the officers. He was taken to a hospital in Thane, where he succumbed to his injuries. A police officer injured in the altercation is currently receiving medical treatment.
In response to these submissions, the court ordered a thorough investigation into the incident, including the collection of CCTV evidence and further examination of the timeline leading up to Shinde’s death.
