Ahmednagar MP Nilesh Lanke ended his four-day hunger strike at the Ahmednagar District Superintendent of Police office on Thursday after a significant development in his protest against alleged malpractices in the police department. The Special Inspector General of Police announced the formation of an independent committee to investigate the issues within the Crime Branch.
Lanke had written a letter to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde drawing attention to the corruption within the Local Crime Branch. He pointed out that the Local Crime Branch and the Cyber Cell are two separate entities, yet the responsibilities of both these branches have been assigned to the Police Inspector of the Local Crime Branch. He had alleged in his letter that this arrangement was driven by motive of corruption. He had also demanded action against police personnel involved in collecting bribes.
Balasaheb Thorat intervenes
Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat revealed that he had personally contacted the state's Director General of Police, Rashmi Shukla, and Special Inspector General of Police, Dattatray Karale. Both officials responded positively to the agitation and agreed to MP Lanke's demands. Under the chairmanship of Aditya Mirkhelkar, Addl SP, Nashik Rural, the committee will conduct a thorough investigation within the next fifteen days. The Special Inspector General assured a fair investigation of the allegations and promised stern action against those found guilty.
Thorat emphasised that the agitation led by Nilesh Lanke reflects widespread public dissatisfaction with certain malpractices within the police force. He urged a comprehensive investigation into the issues raised and stressed that addressing these concerns effectively would mark the success of the movement.
