Court Condemns Inaction in Badlapur Encounter Case

The Bombay High Court criticized the Special Investigation Team for not filing an FIR against five policemen involved in the alleged encounter killing of Akshay Shinde, accused in a sexual assault case. The court demanded action, threatening contempt proceedings, and ensuring justice in the controversial police encounter.

The Bombay High Court expressed severe disapproval towards the crime branch's Special Investigation Team for its failure to file an FIR against five police officers alleged to have killed Akshay Shinde, a suspect in a sexual assault case. The court described the situation as a 'very sorry state of affairs.'

Public prosecutor Hiten Venegaonkar promised the court an FIR would be lodged by the SIT by Saturday, May 3. Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Neela Gokhale accepted this assurance, underscoring the importance of adherence to legal protocols. Notably, the HC had mandated a probe into Shinde's death earlier in April.

The High Court chastised the state's Criminal Investigation Department for initially withholding case documents from the SIT. The inquiry's findings pointed towards a possibly fabricated encounter, as Shinde was supposedly shot after allegedly firing on officers during transport. His parents contest this, claiming a fake encounter, and demanding a fair investigation.