A public interest litigation (PIL) was filed in the Bombay High Court on Wednesday seeking a direction to hand over the probe into the Palghar lynching case to either the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a special investigation team (SIT).
The criminal PIL was filed by advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava regarding the lynching of two Hindu sadhus (spiritual leaders) and their driver by a mob near Gadchinchle village in Palghar district on April 16.
The PIL alleged, “Lynching occurred in the presence of a number of local police personnel. However, the said police personnel did nothing to prevent the brutal lynching; rather their acts and omissions led to the aforesaid sad incident.” The State has handed over the investigation of the lynching to the CID-Crime Branch and arrested over 100 people.
Mr. Srivastava, however, wanted a free, fair and time-bound investigation of the matter either by an SIT or the CBI. He also pressed for an expeditious trial through a fast-track court, and urged the court for compensation to the family of the slain driver.
On April 16, to attend the last rites of one Hindu spiritual guru, Ramgiri Maharaj, in Surat, Gujarat, two sadhus — Sushil Giri Maharaj (35) and Maharaj Kalpavrikshgiri (70) — along with their driver Nilesh Telgane (35) started travelling from Kandivali in Mumbai.
Instead of taking the national highway in view of the lockdown restrictions, they took a detour and reached Gadchinchle. But they were reportedly stopped and taken into custody by the Palghar police. While they were being carried in a police van, a large mob reportedly stopped the vehicle and dragged the saffron-clad sadhus out. Thereafter, the crowd that was armed with sticks and rods, attacked the sadhus and their driver, killing all three of them.