Mumbai, Sep 27, 2024
The Bombay High Court was informed that the Maharashtra Police will soon identify a secluded spot for burying the body of Akshay A. Shinde – the prime accused in the Badlapur minor girls’ rape case – who was shot dead in a Thane Police encounter on September 23, here on Friday.
The assurance came before a division bench comprising Justice Revati Mohite-Dere and Justice Milind Sathaye when the parents of their deceased-accused son, Akshay A. Shinde moved the Bombay High Court after they were refused cremation or burial spots for him since the past five days since he was gunned down, amid fears of a public backlash.
However, the Chief Public Prosecutor Hiten Venegavkar said that the Shinde family’s lawyer, Amit Katarnavare allegedly made some controversial remarks after which a particular spot burial location that was identified by the police was declined by the owners.
Advocate Katarnavare reportedly stated in public that the deceased Aksha A. Shinde’s body was sought to be buried so that it could be ‘exhumed’ after a change of government in Maharashtra after the Assembly polls.
Annoyed by this, the judges questioned ‘why the lawyers give such statements instead of sticking to their job,’ as such comments could also jeopardise the clients’ case.
Differing with the CPP Venegaonkar, Katarnavare attempted to clarify to the court that members of the community had gone against the Shinde family’s decision of burial as it was against their rituals and practices.
Justice Mohite-Dere replied saying that it was the parents’ choice and the community members could not decide on it, as nobody has the right to make a decision on how a body should be disposed of.
The police said that they would zero in on a suitable spot, inform the parents and ensure that Akshay Shinde’s mortal remains can be buried after performing the last rites, and the court said the police would have to take care of the law-and-order situation.
The CPP said that only the parents and family members of the deceased should be allowed to attend the burial and it should not be converted into some kind of an ‘event’.
Katarnavare urged that he only sought a ‘decent burial’ for the deceased Akshay Shinde, to which the judges said that the police were ready to do that.
The court has posted the matter for the next hearing to Monday (September 30) and asked the government to submit its action-taken report on the burial issue then.(Agency)
