The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers staged a protest on Thursday against Shekhar Bagade, the senior police inspector of Manpada police station, for filing a case against senior BJP leader Nandu Joshi from Dombivali. Bagade took action against Joshi based on allegations of threatening a policewoman and demanding sexual favors from her.
A group of BJP members carrying party flags and placards marched to the Manpada police station in Dombivali, shouting slogans against Bagade for booking the BJP leader.
Bagade stated, "The case was registered against the former party office-bearer on Wednesday for repeatedly threatening the woman between 2018 and 2023. The woman's husband is also a police officer."
Shashikant Kamble, BJP's Kalyan district president, claimed that Bagade's action was fueled by personal vendetta and that the former party functionary was not at fault.
Former Thane MP Jagannath Patil also participated in the protest.
Although BJP workers claimed it to be an all-party protest, only members of the BJP were seen.
An anonymous resident of Manpada commented, "I don't understand why BJP members were protesting when their party is in power, and the home ministry is headed by their senior leader and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. Additionally, cabinet minister and BJP leader Ravindra Chavan is from Dombivali."
Reports suggest that Shekhar Bagade, the senior police inspector of Manpada police station, was forced to take leave on Friday following the case registration against Nandu Joshi.
When approached by an FPJ correspondent, Bagade stated, "I have been on leave as my mother is not feeling well."
The victim, who resides with her police officer husband in the same building as the accused, had an ongoing dispute with Joshi, the former BJP functionary. According to officials from Manpada police station, the accused wanted the couple to vacate the premises.
In her complaint, the woman alleged that Joshi demanded they leave the place and made unwelcome advances, including seeking sexual favors.
Based on the victim's complaint, a case was registered against former BJP functionary Nandu Joshi under sections 354A (sexual harassment) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
