BJP MLA arrested for murder of Shiv Sena leaders

The Ahmednagar police on Monday arrested Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Shivaji Kardile in connection with the murder of Shiv Sena leaders Sanjay Kotkar and Vasant Thube.

Mr. Kardile, a ruling party MLA from Ahmednagar’s Rahuri assembly constituency, denied having been ‘arrested’ by the police and said he “voluntarily gave himself up” at the Bhingar police station in the morning.

A press note issued by the Ahmednagar police on Sunday had declared that the BJP MLA, along with 53 others connected to the crime as well as with the subsequent vandalism of the Ahmednagar District Superintendent's office, were absconding.

‘I have no relation with it’

On Sunday, the police booked Mr. Kardile, along with National Congress Party (NCP) MLC Arun Jagtap (NCP legislator Sangram Jagtap’s father) and 30 others for allegedly hatching a conspiracy and executing the killings.

The BJP lawmaker repudiated all allegations against him.

“The police are investigating the crime and the culprits will be brought to justice. I have no relation with it. Since Saturday, the opposition is besmirching some members of my family and me by linking our names with the murders. Seeing this, I voluntary decided to appear before the police and cooperate with the probe,” Mr. Kardile said, speaking to a local television channel.

Second arrest in two days

The second high-profile arrest in the case comes a day after Mr. Kardile’s son-in-law, Sangram Jagtap, along with four others, were taken into police custody in connection with the crime which occurred in the city’s Kedgaon area on Saturday evening.

Mr. Sangram Jagtap was taken into police custody in the wee hours of Sunday. Congress candidate Vishal Kotkar, who won the Kedgaon bypoll to the Ahmednagar civic body, his father Balasaheb Kotkar, Sandeep Gunjal and Bhanudas Kotkar were also booked for their alleged roles in the double murder.

Allegation fo vandalism

Soon after Mr. Jagtap was arrested, Mr. Kardile, along with a mob of over 200 persons allegedly stormed the District Police Superintendent’s office and vandalized it.

However, Mr. Kardile denied allegations, stating that events had been “misinterpreted”.

“After Sangram [Jagtap] was arrested, a huge mob had gathered at the SP’s office. I was returning from a function and decided to stop en route and pacify the irate mob. I urged restraint on the crowd and let the law take its course,” he said, condemning the vandalism.

He further said that if found guilty, he was ready to face any judicial or party inquiry.

The aftermath of the Kedgaon bypoll coupled with years of internecine political rivalry is said to be the broad reasons for the murders of the two Sena leaders, who were shot at and attacked with shard, scythe-like weapons on Saturday evening.

The murders have led to the suspension of police inspector Abhay Parmar of Ahmednagar’s Kotwali police station. He is replaced by PI Ramesh Ratnaparkhi.

Parmar’s suspension by the Minister of State for Home Deepak Kesarkar was prompted by the Shiv Sena’s allegations about the allegedly controversial role of the police authorities in Kedgaon in the crime.

All three families — the Kardiles, the Jagtaps and the Kotkars — are related to each other by marriage and are said to virtually dominate Ahmednagar politics, especially at the taluk and civic body levels.

Mr. Kardile’s and Congress leader Bhanudas Kotkar’s names figure prominently in the murder of lottery-ticket businessman Ashok Lande in Ahmednagar 2008.

Political slug-fest

The Ahmednagar murders have already snowballed into a political slug-fest, with the Sena and the NCP trading barbs with each other.

On Sunday, senior Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra Minister Ramdas Kadam, speaking in Ahmednagar, had alleged that the murders were “a premeditated conspiracy hatched by the BJP, the Congress and the NCP” to antagonize the Sena.

In a riposte to Mr. Kadam, senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar, speaking in Satara district, accused the Sena of attempting to tarnish his party’s reputation by fabricating charges against Mr. Jagtap.