Ghosalkar’s family seeks CBI inquiry into murder
Mauris Noronha had planned to kill his wife too, family says and condemns Dy CM’S statement
MUMBAI: The family of deceased Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Abhishek Ghosalkar has cast suspicion on the ongoing police investigation in the murder case and said they will approach the Bombay high court seeking a direction to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take over the probe.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Abhishek’s widow Tejasvee also alleged that Mauris Noronha had planned to kill her too.
“My husband was allegedly killed by Mauris. Mauris had told Abhishek to bring me to the event along with him, and Abhishek had agreed to it. But as I was getting late for another function, Abhishek told me to first attend that event. That means Noronha must have had plans to kill me. I was lucky that I got late for the Norohna event and as a result I and our two children are alive today,” Tejasvee said.
On February 8, Abhishek was allegedly shot dead by his old political rival Mauris during a Facebook live at the latter’s office in Borivali. Mauris later died by suicide. Mauris’s bodyguard Amarendra Mishra, whose pistol was allegedly used in the murder, was arrested under section 29 (B) (handing over a weapon to someone without ascertaining if the person is legally permitted to possess it) of the Arms Act.
Tejasvee said a sessions court on March 4 said Mauris and Mishra purchased bullets together and Mishra knew about the dispute between Abhishek and Mauris. Mauris had access to the locker in which the pistol was kept as it was not broken open, she claimed.
Tejasvee further said when she requested the police to also invoke 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code against Mishra the investigating team did not accept her demand. “As the police are not doing the investigation properly, I have decided to file a petition in the high court to demand the probe be transferred to the CBI.”
The police also ignored the presence of Mishra and Mauris’s close aide, Mehul Parekh, at the time of crime, Tejasvee added.
Her father-in-law and former MLA Vinod Ghosalkar, who was also present at the press conference, condemned the statements by deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, and ministers Uday Samant and Chagan Bhujbal. “Before the completion of investigation these ministers’ statements suggested the murder was result of a personal enmity between Abhishek and Mauris. How can they make such statements? Why does the state government want to avoid investigation into the possibility of a conspiracy?”