Slain RTI activist’s brother accuses Pune police of inaction

Sandeep Shetty, the brother of slain Pune RTI activist Satish Shetty, on Wednesday filed an affidavit in the Bombay high court alleging that a top businessman has played a role in his brother’s murder in January.

He also alleged that the Pune police is not handling the investigation properly and that the case be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The Bombay high court had on January 14, taken suo-motu cognisance of Satish Shetty’s murder and called for the investigation record.

Sandeep, in his affidavit, alleged that his brother received threats at the behest of Virendra Mhaiskar, chairman and managing director of IRB Infrastructure Developers Limited. Forbes magazine had, in 2009, declared Mhaiskar the 51st richest man in India. Headquartered in Mumbai, his road infrastructure firm has bagged the contract of maintaining and collecting toll the Mumbai-Pune.

The affidavit stated that Satish started receiving threats after he exposed a scam involving Mhaiskar and one Nitin Sable in a 1800-acre land deal Taje and Pimpoli villages in Pune district. The affidavit also states that Satish had registered a complaint with police in this regard, but no action was taken.

When contacted, Mhaiskar said, “I have given my statement to the deputy superintendent of police. I have nothing more to add to it. Whatever transactions have taken place have been done in accordance to the law and everything is on record.”

The court also heard a submission made by social activist Sumaira Abdulali that she was attacked by a few people in Mahad in Raigad. The court sought a reply from the local police by Thursday. “Tell us what action has been taken on the attackers by Thursday,” remarked the court.