Expelled NCP neta Rajendra Hagawane and son Sushil, on run in dowry death case, held

PUNE: Maharashtra Police on Friday arrested expelled NCP member Rajendra Hagawane , 57, and his son Sushil, 27, in an alleged dowry death case . Both had been on the run for the past seven days. Rajendra's daughter-in-law, Vaishnavi Hagawane , 24, was found hanging at her marital home in Pune's Bhukum on May 16.

Based on her father's complaint, the two, along with Vaishnavi's husband, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law were arrested for offences under BNS sections 80 (dowry death), 108 (abetment of suicide), 352 (intentional insult), 351 (criminal intimidation), 3(5) (common intention).

Pimpri-Chinchwad DCP (zone-II) Vishal Gaikwad said, "Acting on a tip-off, we took Hagawane and his son into custody from Swargate area around 7am. Our team produced them before a court, which ordered their custodial remand till May 28."

Deputy CM Ajit Pawar said all the allegations will be investigated to make a watertight case against each accused. "Some information which Vaishnavi's parents shared with me is so sensitive and painful that I cannot even say it in public. There are various allegations against the Hagawane family," Pawar told reporters.

In a remand report to court, senior inspector Anil Vibhute stated that police had added in the case an offence under BNS section 118(2) (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons) after investigations revealed Shashank would assault Vaishnavi with a pipe.

Pawar said he would request the CM to fast-track the case trial. The deputy CM had earlier drawn criticism as Rajendra Hagawane was an NCP member. Hagawane was expelled from the party on Thursday, six days after Vaishnavi was found dead.

"Such inaction is not possible without political support to the accused," claimed NCP (SP)'s Rohini Khadse. Shiv Sena (UBT) member Sushma Andhare said, "Police were not at all proactive. Only when the issue was highlighted by the opposition and the media, did they get into action and arrested the suspects. Police and state women's commission failed in protecting the victim."

Refuting the allegation, state women's commission chief Rupali Chakankar said, "The commission took suo motu cognisance of the case and told police to take appropriate action. Police investigated the case and made the arrests."