Female colleague behind 2022 ‘accidential firing’ involving Nagpur RTO official: Police

Gaikwad and a woman MVI have been charged with giving false information, while an attempt to murder case has been registered against an unidentified person, an official had said.Though the police have found that the shot was fired by Shejwal, they are yet to determine why she did so and how she had access to Gaikwads service weapon.

A female colleague is behind the “accidental firing” involving a Motor Vehicle Inspector in Nagpur in May 2022, a police official said on Sunday.

MVI Sanket Gaikwad of the Regional Transport Office here had at the time informed police that he dropped his service revolver at his home after being startled by a rat and it had led to an accidental discharge.

A bullet had grazed Gaikwad’s left calf before entering his right calf.

The police have now said that the shot was fired by Gaikwad’s colleague MVI Geeta Shejwal. She came on the radar after police spoke to Dr Sudhir Deshmukh, who had treated Gaikwad. According to Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar, Shejwal has been booked for attempt to murder under section 307 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Gaikwad faces charges under section 201 for destruction of evidence. Both in their 30s, Gaikwad and Shejwal were posted in Nagpur RTO at the time. Shejwal is currently working in Ahmednagar. The two have applied for pre-arrest bail and their pleas will come up for hearing on January 23. Earlier, citing their probe, the police had said that the shot might have been fired with the “intention to kill”. “Gaikwad and a woman MVI have been charged with giving false information, while an attempt to murder case has been registered against an unidentified person,'' an official had said.

Though the police have found that the shot was fired by Shejwal, they are yet to determine why she did so and how she had access to Gaikwad’s service weapon. “It would be unravelled only during interrogation,” the official said, adding that instead of sharing accurate information with the police, Gaikwad allegedly tampered with evidence at the scene. Although Gaikwad claims to be unwell with a cough and cold, the police suspect he might be attempting to evade legal action. Shejwal is absconding, the official said.