Man forced to chant Jai Shri Ram: Probe transferred to another station due to ‘local politician’s influence’

The petitioner, Asif Ahmed Shaikh, was allegedly manhandled by group of “30 to 40 students” when he was returning  from Kankavli to Mumbai on a train along with his wife and daughters on January 19, 2024.

Asif (37), in his complaint, had claimed that when the group of co-passengers was singing loudly and creating nuisance, he asked them not to do so as his daughters were getting disturbed.

One of the students then forced Asif to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and when he refused to do so, he was allegedly abused, manhandled and was threatened with dire consequences,  the complainant alleged.

He had filed an FIR at Panvel police station, which was later transferred to Kankavli police.

Later on January 25, as per the plea,  Shaikh and his wife were detained for three-four hours over a cross- FIR registered allegedly at the behest of a local politician at the Kankavli police station and he was asked to withdraw his initial complaint and was abused by officers.

After the couple returned from the police station, the plea said, Asif was beaten by several people at his native place, after which he had registered an FIR at Kankavli police station against 12 persons who are suspected to be supporters of the politician.

The petitioner, through advocate Gautam Kanchanpurkar, submitted that investigation by Kankavali police station was biased and was influenced by the local politician. He said the officers at Panvel police too were not even eager to initiate his complaint and were trying to protect the accused.

The plea sought inquiry against the said police officials of Kankavali and Panvel through a high-ranking officer and appropriate action be taken against them.

During an earlier hearing of the plea, the high court had asked  the state lawyer if the probe can be transferred to any other police station “to ensure fairness”.

In response, Additional Public Prosecutor Prajakta P Shinde submitted that in view of allegations made by petitioners against Kankavali officers, the Superintendent of Police (SP) has transferred the probe to Kudal Police station Wednesday and the same will be supervised by Deputy SP of Sawantwadi.

The state lawyer also submitted that the CCTV footage of relevant time from Kankavali and Panvel police stations were preserved and the same will be made part of the chargesheet, which the court accepted and disposed of the plea.

The bench of Justices Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Neela K Gokhale, which was hearing the plea, also noted that police protection granted to the petitioner by the court on May 16 and continued from time to time stood withdrawn.

The court persused a report of high-ranking police officers stating that there was no threat perception to the petitioner anymore.

It also said that the petitioner can make an application in future if need arises.