Mumbai: A month after the state law and judiciary department appointed advocate Pradeep Gharat as the special public prosecutor (PP) in Assistant Police Inspector (API) Ashwini Bidre’s murder case, Gharat has accused Navi Mumbai Police of not co-operating with him. Gharat said, police have neither contacted him nor provided any details of the case, which could be helpful to build a watertight case. Gharat has threatened to withdraw from the case as the PP.
Even after three hearings in Alibaug court, the investigating officer, Ajay Kadam, has consistently remained absent, alleged Gharat. “I feel Kadam is shielding the accused and helping them to get away with her murder. The court has also expressed their dissatisfaction over the lethargic behaviour of Navi Mumbai police and questioned if they are really interested in solving the case,” Gharat said. –Staff Reporter
Looking at Navi Mumbai police’s casual approach towards the case, Gharat said that he will not go to the court unless he is provided with all the required documents of the case and has insisted that the investigating officer Kadam should remain present for the hearing at Alibaug court. “I have written to Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjeev Kumar, informing him about the developments and have expressed my intention to withdraw from this case. I will send copies of the letter to the Alibaug Court and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis,” said Gharat. Meanwhile, Bidre’s kin have demanded reappointment of police inspector Sangeeta Shinde-Alphonso as the investigating officer, who was very close to cracking the case, but was transferred immediately. Ashwini Bidre Gore, an assistant police inspector, went missing on April 11, 2016. She was allegedly abused and murdered by Abhay Kurundkar, Rajesh Patil, Mahesh Falnikar and Kundan Bhandari. Police have arrested all accused in the case.
