Badlapur sexual assault case accused's father moves HC, seeks SIT probe in son's encounter death

The body of Akshay Shinde being brought to JJ Hospital in Mumbai for post-mortem on Tuesday. Pic/PTI

The father of Akshay Shinde, the accused in the Badlapur sexual assault case who was killed by the police in 'retaliatory firing' on Monday, has moved the Bombay High Court (HC) seeking probe by a special investigation team into his 24-year-old son's death, news agency PTI reported.

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

A special investigation team (SIT) should be formed to probe the killing and HC court should monitor the investigation, the Badlapur sexual assault case accused's father demanded in his petition.

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

He was being taken to Badlapur from Taloja jail in Navi Mumbai on Monday evening in connection with a first information report (FIR) registered against him on the complaint of his former wife when the firing incident took place, which resulted in his death, the 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 stated.

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