Vaishnavi Hagavane dowry death case: Police file 1,670-page chargesheet against 5 Hagavane family, 6 others

Vaishnavi (23) was found hanging on May 16 at her in-laws’ house in Bhukum area of Pune. An FIR was registered at Bavdhan police station under Pimpri Chinchwad jurisdiction by Vaishnavi’s father Anil Sahebrao Kaspate (51).

The police booked Vaishnavi’s husband Shashank Hagawane, mother-in-law Lata Rajendra Hagawane, father-in-law and now expelled NCP leader Rajendra Hagawane, sister-in-law Karishma Hagawane and brother-in-law Sushil Hagawane. Police initially arrested Shashank, Lata and Karishma and later Rajendra and Sushil, who were on the run. Police also charged a business associate of the family, Nilesh Chavan, for cruelty to Vaishanvi’s baby and threatening her father. Chavan was arrested from the Nepal border on May 30 when he was trying to flee the country.

Besides these six accused, the police had also arrested five persons on charges of knowingly harbouring Rajendra and Sushil when they were on the run. These five accused are Mohan alias Bandu Uttam Bhegade (60), a resident of Vadgaon Maval, Bandu Laxman Fatak (55), a resident of Lonavala, Amol Vijay Jadhav (35) and Rahul Dasharath Jadhav (45), both residents of Pusegaon in Khatav area of Satara, and Pritam Veerkumar Patil (47), a resident of Kognoli taluka of Chikodi in Belgaum district of Karnataka. Pritam is the son of long-time MLA of Karnataka Assembly, Veerkumar Patil, who was also energy minister during his tenure, police said. While five family members and Chavan are currently in prison under judicial custody, the five persons arrested for harbouring the accused are out on bail.