Pune techie murder case

Pune techie murder case refers to the attack and murder of a 24 years old youth named Mohsin Shaikh in Pune on 2 June 2014 .[1][2] There was communal tensions in the area after derogatory photographs of Shivaji and Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray were uploaded to social media during which public buses were vandalized and arrests were made.[2] The uploads were made through foreign proxy servers traced to sources in India.[2][3][4] Home minister R R Patil said authorities know the identity of those that uploaded the offensive images and that Mohsin was innocent and died in the riots. Government of Maharashtra announced compensation to his family .[4]

Mohsin Mohammed Sadique Shaikh was an IT professional working as an IT manager in a private textile firm, he was attacked and killed while returning after prayer from Unnati Nagar.[5] Police have made arrests including the leader[6] of Hindu Rashtra Sena (HRS), a Hindutva group, for their alleged role in the incident.[7][8] Dhananjay Jayram Desai, the founder president of radical outfit Hindu Rashtra Sena (HRS), first came into prominence. Desai has denied that his outfit had anything to do with the murder and said, "We understand that circulating derogatory pictures is a cyber crime but the problem cannot be solved by killing innocent persons.".[9][10] Before this, a 20-year-old Nikhil Tikone of Kasba Peth was target by both Muslim and Hindus during communal tensions.[11][12] The Pune police had filed a 650-page charge sheet naming 23 people, including Mr. Desai.[13]

Rajya Sabha MP and Congress leader Hussain Dalwai on 1 July 2014 alleged that police officers investigating the Mohsin Shaikh murder case were trying to cover it up, and they should be dismissed for the failure to nab the masterminds of the crime. "The Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan assured us that government will make the investigation into this unfortunate incident a priority. We were also told that the organisation behind this ghastly act and the people involved in spreading communal disharmony will be taught a lesson," he added.[14][15][16][17][18][19]

In March 2015 the Bombay high court denied bail to Hindu Rashtra Sena chief Dhananjay Desai maintaining that the prosecution had rightly submitted that Desai has taken advantage of poverty and unemployment in society and instigated such to satisfy his religious fanatic vendetta against a community. The judge noted most of the rioters were young men, one of them just 18. The High Court maintained that the statement of the witness showing that a plan had been hatched to attack members of a community as directed by Desai was sufficient to deny bail.[20]

Until 6 May 2017 the case was in the stage of framing of charges against all the 21 accused.[21]

The family Mohsin Shaikh made a written request to the Maharashtra chief minister and the law and judiciary department for appointing senior lawyer Rohini Salian as the special public prosecutor (SPP) in the case. Salian had hit the headlines after she openly made allegations that the NIA asked her to go soft on Hindu extremists accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case. Following a request by advocate Ujjwal Nikam, the state government had cancelled his appointment as the SPP in the Mohsin Shaikh murder case on 19 May 2017. Desai’s lawyer Milind Pawar moved an application seeking provisional bail for him. “It has been about three years that Desai was arrested and still charges have not been framed. Now, there is a further delay because the SPP has not been appointed." [22] Rashtrapremi Kruti Samiti, an outfit had opposed Mr. Nikam’s appointment on grounds of his alleged ‘affinity’ with right-wing Hindu outfits. The district and sessions court on Thursday rejected the provisional bail plea of Dhananjay Desai. Mr. Desai’s bail pleas have been rejected thrice in the past: twice in the Pune sessions court and once in the Bombay High Court. Ms. Pawar took over as prosecutor following delays in the appointment of advocate Rohini Salian. 17 have been released on bail till 4 August 2017. [23]

On 8 February 2018, the Supreme Court set aside the Bombay High Court order that released on bail the three accused in the murder. The three accused — Vijay Gambhire, Ganesh Yadav and Ajay Lalge — were among the 21 activists of the Hindu Rashtra Sena, including their leader Dhanajay Jayram Desai, who were booked in connection with the murder. In its controversial order in 2017 the Bombay High court had said “The fault of the deceased was that he belonged to another religion. I consider this factor in favour of the accused. Moreover, the accused do not have criminal record and it appears that in the name of the religion, they were provoked and have committed the murder.” Taking exception to the high court order, the Supreme Court bench of Justice SA Bobde and Justice L Nageswar Rao said that the high court judge should have refrained from recording reasons that appears to justify the murder of the victim in the name of religion.[24]

References

  1. ↑ "Meet Bhai, man who heads Hindu group blamed for techie's murder". The Indian Express. June 6, 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 "Techie death: Pune police may seek ban on outfit". The Hindu. June 6, 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  3. ↑ "Techie Murder: FB Posts Uploaded From Foreign IP Addresses". Outlook. June 6, 2014.
  4. 1 2 Chittaranjan Tembhekar; Mateen Hafeez (June 9, 2014). "Those behind inflammatory Facebook posts identified: R R Patil". Times of India.
  5. ↑ "Pune techie murder case: Another man was attacked by same gang the night Mohsin was killed". The Times of India. Jun 6, 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  6. ↑ "Founder of HRS charged with Pune techie's murder". The Hindu. 11 June 2014.
  7. ↑ "25 people held in Pune techie murder case". The Indian Express. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  8. ↑ "Techie dies after attack by Hindutva group". The Hindu. 4 June 2014.
  9. ↑ "Pune: Muslim techie killed by rightwing mob over morphed FB posts". Firstpost. 2014-06-04. Retrieved 2014-06-20.
  10. ↑ "Dhananjay Desai arrested for Pune muslim techie's murder, HRS alleges political conspiracy". June 10, 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
  11. ↑ "'Had to circulate video saying I am a Hindu, not linked to FB posts'". The India Express. Jun 12, 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
  12. ↑ "पुणे: मुस्लिमों ने आरएसएस वाला समझकर पीटा, हिंदुओं ने बताया 'निखिल खान'". DainikBhaskar. Jun 11, 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
  13. ↑ "Mohsin Shaikh murder: court rejects HRS leader's bail plea". The Hindu. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  14. ↑ "Dalwai alleges cover-up in Pune techie murder case". Business Standard. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  15. ↑ "Pune techie murder". NDTV. Retrieved June 2014. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  16. ↑ "Pune Techie Murder Case: 21 Men Linked to Hindu Rashtra Sena Sent to Judicial Custody". NDTV. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
  17. ↑ "Pune Techie Murder Case: Hindu Rashtra Sena Chief Named as Accused". NDTV. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  18. ↑ "Pune Techie Murder: Maharashtra Government Mulling Ban on Hindu Rashtra Sena". NDTV. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  19. ↑ "Police Claim Pune Techie's Murder Linked to Controversial Facebook Posts, 13 Arrested". NDTV. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  20. ↑ "Hindu Sena leader took advantage of poverty in society: Bombay HC". Times of India. 2015-03-29. Retrieved 2015-03-29.
  21. ↑ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/hrs-chief-seeks-bail-for-4-weeks/articleshow/58540414.cms
  22. ↑ "Mohsin Shaikh Murder: After Nikam's sudden exit, family wants Rohini Salian as special public prosecutor". The Indian Express. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  23. ↑ "Mohsin Shaikh murder: court rejects HRS leader's bail plea". The Hindu. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  24. ↑ "2014 Pune techie murder: SC criticises Bombay HC order for involving religion". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
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