Woman's `suicide': BJP seeks sacking of Maharashtra minister

The BJP on Saturday kept up thepressure on the MVA government in Maharashtra over the allegedsuicide of a 23-year-old woman in Pune, claiming that stateforest minister Sanjay Rathod was connected to the incident.While the opposition party has been demanding probe inthe womans death for the last two days, Rathod, a Shiv Senaleader from Yavatmal, was not available for comment.As the available electronic and other evidenceindicates connection of Sanjay Rathod, Chief Minister UddhavThackeray should remove him from the cabinet.


PTI | Mumbai | Updated: 13-02-2021 18:47 IST | Created: 13-02-2021 18:47 IST
Woman's `suicide': BJP seeks sacking of Maharashtra minister
  • Country:
  • India

The BJP on Saturday kept up thepressure on the MVA government in Maharashtra over the allegedsuicide of a 23-year-old woman in Pune, claiming that stateforest minister Sanjay Rathod was connected to the incident.

While the opposition party has been demanding probe inthe woman's death for the last two days, Rathod, a Shiv Senaleader from Yavatmal, was not available for comment.

''As the available electronic and other evidenceindicates (connection of) Sanjay Rathod, Chief Minister UddhavThackeray should remove him from the cabinet. Otherwise wewill have to assume that the CM is shielding him,'' BJP MLAAtul Bhatkhalkar said in a video message.

The woman died after falling from a building in Pune'sHadapsar area in the wee hours of February 8.

According to Wanwadi police who have registered acase of accidental death, there was no suicide note. Somesocial media posts claimed that she was in a relationship witha cabinet minister in the state.

''Thackeray should set up a special investigation teamincluding an IPS officer and a retired judge. They should takeall the available evidence in their possession,'' Bhatkhalkarfurther said.

Speaking to reporters in Aurangabad, senior Shiv Senaleader and Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde saidnobody should be linked with the case without evidence.

''The case is sensitive and unfortunate. Connecting aperson's name to it without any proof and certainty will notbe appropriate. Demanding (Rathod's) resignation in a hurrytoo is not right,'' he said.

On Friday, BJP leader and former chief ministerDevendra Fadnavis had asked why Pune Police had not registeredan FIR in the case.

The deceased woman was known for her videos on socialmedia platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. After her death,audio clips of her purported conservation with two personswent viral.

Fadnavis said that his office received 12 clips ofconversation between two persons linked to the woman's death,and he had forwarded them to the Director General of Police.

PTI ND AW MRKRK KRK

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Give Feedback