2020 Palghar lynching: ‘Transfer of probe to CBI wrong’, says Maha Cong chief

Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole on Tuesday hit out over the transfer of the probe in the 2020 Palghar mob lynching case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Calling the decision “wrong”, Patole alleged that the government involves the central agency only to "keep the cases pending".

"It is wrong to give the case to CBI, the state police is capable. CBI inquiry in the Sushant Singh case, and Girish Mahajan case are all pending. CBI is only involved when the Centre has to keep cases pending," he told news agency ANI.

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On Tuesday, the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government in an affidavit informed the Supreme Court that it has no objection to handing over the 2020 Palghar lynching case to the CBI. The affidavit was filed by the state government on the petitions seeking the central agency investigation or a court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe in the incident.

In April 2020, two Sadhus - Chikne Maharaj Kalpavrukshagiri, 70, and Sushilgiri Maharaj, 35, — and their driver Nilesh Telgade, 30 were lynched by a mob at Gadchinchale in Palghar district which is 140km north of Mumbai. They were traveling from Kandivali in Mumbai to attend a funeral in Gujarat's Surat amid the nationwide lockdown when their vehicle was stopped and they were attacked and killed.

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Around 18 police officials were punished after a departmental inquiry was initiated into the matter. While one assistant police inspector was sacked, another assistant police sub-inspector and a driver were compulsorily retired.

(With inputs from ANI)