Yogita’s mother awaits justice,as Gadkari alleges blackmail by activist

Incidentally,Vimal,a maid,didn’t work at Gadkari’s residence,but Yogita was a regular at his residence and would often play there while Vimal worked in some neighbouring houses.

One of the important facts on record is that both Gadkari and his wife Kanchan were away on that day. The police say his sons,too,were away on that day.

Vimal herself has nothing against Gadkari. Ignored by all political parties,she continues to cling on to the little hope generated by the pressure exerted by a few local activists. On Monday,she told The Indian Express: “I don’t suspect anyone from Gadkari’s family. But I am sure somebody from the premises was involved. Why are the police not arresting Gadkari’s driver or the police guard who were on duty on that day?” she asks as her two school-going daughters,Kiran (17) and Nisha (14),sit by her side.

She recalls in choked voice,“She was a lovely little child,always playful. Everyone around the place,including the Gadkari wada workers,knew her well. She would refuse to go with me and would just stick around that place playing. Today,it is my daughter. Tomorrow,it can be anybody’s. Why do people keep security guards? To let anyone do anything in their presence?”

“The policeman on duty whom I had requested to take care of Yogita before leaving for another house,simply ran away when I was taking my daughter home after she was found in the car,” she complains. “And when we were called to the police station when the murder case was registered,he said that he wasn’t on duty then,” she adds.

Kishor Ingle,who calls himself a social worker and who has been booked for allegedly blackmailing Gadkari after the latter’s statement in the Legislative Council last week,says,“I have never said that I suspect anyone from Gadkari’s family to be behind the incident. Also,none of the complaints,including the petition before the High Court,mentions his name with any suspicion.”

Ingle was the first to raise doubts about the theory that Yogita had died of suffocation in the car where she had got in accidentally and had,subsequently,got locked up inside. Ingle went into hiding immediately after Gadkari alleged blackmail attempt by him and also levelled serious charges against him.

Two days ago,an important finding of the forensic test on Yogita’s blood samples said no rape had been committed on the girl.

One of the theories that were floated immediately after the incident sought to link Yogita’s death to the history of heart ailment she had. Vimal says,“She was admitted to the Government Medical College for about a month. We were told her heart has a small hole and that she needed a surgery for that. But since she was weak,the doctor said it should be done after a few years.”

That,however,flew in the face of the post-mortem findings that she had several injury and bleeding marks that can be caused by “hard and rough surface” and that her death could be “homicidal or accidental”.

Vimal is upset over Ingle being targeted by Gadkari. “He is helping us,what’s wrong in that? Now they say he asked for money. Why say this after so many days?” she says.

Ingle refutes all charges and expresses surprise over the blackmailing charge against him. “He says that I tried it in the presence of his police bodyguards. Why didn’t the security officers react there and then itself,” he asks. “I don’t want to even remotely suggest that Gadkari’s family has anything to do with it. Given a chance,I will clarify it to him,” he adds.

The police,meanwhile,haven’t ruled out arresting Ingle. “It is possible after collecting evidence against him,” said Senior Police Inspector Wasudeo Katole. About nabbing the culprits in Yogita’s case,Katole sounds definitive. “We should be able to do it within a week,” he says.

The police are expected to file an affidavit in the matter before the local High Court Bench that is hearing a

petition demanding a CBI probe into the matter.