Badlapur accused's father moves HC over son's 'fake encounter'

The father of Akshay Shinde, accused in the Badlapur sexual assault case who was killed by police in 'retaliatory firing', has moved the Bombay high court seeking probe by a special investigation team into the death.

Anna Shinde, in his petition filed through advocate Amit Katarnaware, alleged that his son was killed in a "fake encounter".

An SIT should be formed to probe the killing and the high court should monitor the investigation, the petition demanded.

"The accused was in custody when he was shot dead in a fake encounter. This is a cold-blooded murder by criminals in uniforms," advocate Katarnaware said.

The petition will be heard by a division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Prithviraj Chavan on Wednesday.

Shinde, 24, was accused of sexually assaulting two minor girls at a school in Badlapur town of Thane district. A contractual sweeper at the school, Shinde was arrested on August 17 even as the crime triggered massive protests in the state.

Shinde was being taken to Badlapur from Taloja jail in Navi Mumbai on Monday evening in connection with an FIR registered against him on the complaint of his former wife when the firing incident took place, which resulted in his death, police have said.

He was killed near Mumbra bypass when he allegedly snatched the gun of a policeman in the escort team, officials claimed.

After he shot and injured an assistant inspector of police, another officer fired at him, and he was declared dead at the Kalwa civil hospital, the police claimed.

The Maharashtra government earlier on Tuesday said the state Crime Investigation Department (CID) will conduct a probe into his death.