Mumbai: The Bombay High Court was informed on Friday that the Maharashtra Police will soon identify a quiet location to bury the body of Akshay A. Shinde, the main accused in the Badlapur minor girls’ rape case, who was shot dead in a Thane Police encounter on September 23.
The assurance came before a division bench of Justice Revati Mohite-Dere and Justice Milind Sathaye when the parents of their deceased-accused son, Akshay A. Shinde, petitioned the Bombay High Court after being denied cremation or burial sites for him for the past five days, citing fears of a public backlash.
Chief Public Prosecutor Hiten Venegavkar stated that the Shinde family’s lawyer, Amit Katarnavare, allegedly made some contentious remarks, resulting in the owners declining a specific place burial location recommended by the police.
Advocate Katarnavare reportedly declared in public that the deceased Aksha A. Shinde’s body was to be buried so that it could be ‘exhumed’ when Maharashtra’s government changed following the Assembly elections.
The judges were irritated by this and asked, ‘Why do the lawyers issue such statements instead of sticking to their duty? ‘ Such comments could jeopardise the client’s cases.
Woman Vandalises Office of Maharashtra Dy CM Fadnavis; BJP Seeks Investigation
Differing with the CPP Venegaonkar, Katarnavare attempted to clarify to the court that members of the community had gone against the Shinde family’s decision of burial as it was against their rituals and practices.
Justice Mohite-Dere replied that it was the parent’s choice, and the community members could not decide on it, as nobody has the right to decide how a body should be disposed of.
The police said that they would zero in on a suitable spot, inform the parents and ensure that Akshay Shinde’s mortal remains can be buried after performing the last rites, and the court said the police would have to take care of the law-and-order situation.
The CPP said that only the parents and family members of the deceased should be allowed to attend the burial, and it should not be converted into some ‘event’.
Katarnavare urged that he only sought a ‘decent burial’ for the deceased Akshay Shinde, to which the judges said that the police were ready to do that.
The court has posted the matter for the next hearing to Monday (September 30) and asked the government to submit its action-taken report on the burial issue then, indicating that the court will continue to monitor the situation and ensure a fair resolution.
For more updates Subscribe to Media Eye News
–IANS
Photo: Twitter/@MumbaiPolice
