Hindustan Times ST (Mumbai) - Live
MNS leader blames Uddhav camp as cops nab 2 for attack
MUMBAI: The Mumbai Crime Branch on Saturday morning arrested two men for allegedly attacking Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Sandeep Deshpande at Shivaji Park when he went for a morning walk.
The accused are identified as Ashok Shankar Kharat (56) and Kishan Solanki (36).
As per the police, Kharat – the main accused – is the vice president of Mathadi and General Kamgar Sena and all the others acted on his instructions.
“Kharat has several cases registered against him, like murder and extortion and was even booked under stringent provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA). Bhandup police have also booked him for an attempt to murder,” said DCP Prashant Kadam, Mumbai Crime Branch.
“Kharat is influential in Bhandup. We have found his photos with Nilesh Paradkar, alleged close aide of gangster Chhota Rajan. Paradkar was in January arrested for celebrating gangster Rajan’s birthday. He is the president of Maharashtra Mathadi and General Kamgar Sena (associated with Sena (UBT),” said a police officer.
The police have transferred the case to Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC) so that all the angles including the underworld angle can be investigated properly.
“It seems that the attack is the result of my complaint against the Covid Scam in BMC. I will not succumb to such pressure and will again meet the BMC commissioner,” said Deshpande. He also indicated the involvement of the Thackeray faction leader in the attack.
Thackeray faction MLC Sachin Ahir replied to the allegations about the involvement of the Thackeray faction leader in the attack. “We condemn the attack. Taking big names makes allegations sensational. Deshpande earlier used to accuse the BMC Commissioner but now it seems time has changed and Deshpande is praising him.”