Slain gangster's brother accuses Thane police of not registering FIR

Raju Chaddi outside Thane DCP Vivek Pansare's office; and outside Thane Additional Commissioner Dattatraya Karale's office

The brother of slain gangster Naresh Aasandas Pahalajani alias Naresh Chaddi, who was found dead at his house under mysterious circumstances in 2016, has accused Thane police of backtracking on registering an FIR and of passing the case file from one officer to the other for the past two days. He recorded a fresh statement on Wednesday after forensic reports revealed Naresh died of asphyxiation. However, Thane police have said that they are still studying the case.

"I reached Thane on Wednesday as the police had assured me that an FIR will be registered after recording fresh statements. However, it seems that the police have been shrugging off their responsibilities and pushing the case file from the Investigating Officer (IO), to the senior inspector, to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), and now to the Additional Commissioner of Police (CP)," Raju told mid-day.

DCP Vivek Pansare told mid-day, "We are studying the case. At this stage, we cannot say if an FIR can be registered. We are yet to come to a conclusion in this matter."

Naresh Chaddi and Congress corporator Godhumal Kishnani

"If they did not want to register a case, why did they call me to Mumbai? We have been fighting to get justice for Naresh for the past four years. After wasting two days, the Khadakpada police are backtracking on filing an FIR," said Raju.

Naresh's post-mortem had revealed contusion marks and abrasions on his body and concluded that he died of asphyxiation. Raju also claimed that Naresh's nose was bleeding when he was rushed to the hospital.

"We have been saying since day one that the mastermind behind Naresh's murder is Congress corporator Godhumal Kishnani and his son, Praveen. But the Khadakpada police did not pay heed," Raju said.

In an alleged threat call to a builder, corporator Kishnani had claimed to have gotten Chaddi killed 'like a dog'. "Despite submitting corporator Kishnani's audio clip, which went viral in 2016, to Khadakpada police, cops did nothing and kept Naresh's case files aside," Raju added.

mid-day had reported about the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report concluding that Naresh died of asphyxiation on February 24.

Apart from Kishnani and his son Praveen, Raju has named Naresh's domestic help, Ravi, in his fresh statement. Ravi was allegedly seen by neighbours at Sai Paradise building where Naresh resided, hours before his wife Deepa reached home to find him lying face down on the sofa on February 2, 2016.

Sources in Thane police told mid-day that after the FSL's findings, police are taking medico-legal opinion in the case. A letter has also been sent to KEM Hospital's forensic department where doctors are supposed to examine the video of Naresh's post-mortem.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get the latest updates