Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday asked Maharashtra government and state CID to explain why it had not probed the alleged involvement of underworld don Chhota Rajan in the incident of firing on Ajay Bhonsale, a Shiv Sena candidate in Pune, during 2009 Assembly election campaign.
Despite an accused and a witness pointing to the role of Rajan in the firing, the probe had not made any headway, a Division Bench of Justices Ajay Khanvilkar and A R Joshi observed while hearing a petition filed by Bhonsale, who had escaped unhurt in the attack.
The judges said the probe conducted by CID in this case was "shoddy and done in a casual manner". Although one of the accused and a witness had raised a finger at Rajan`s involvement, his name did not appear in the chargesheet, the Bench remarked.
The government stated the officer concerned with the investigations had been transferred and a new officer had taken his place.
The judges then asked the new officer to probe this angle and file a supplementary chargesheet, if required.
The HC also asked the Home Secretary to examine all allegations and file a compliance report by August 13.
In his petition, Bhonsale, who eventually lost the election to NCP candidate, has said the police investigations into the incident were not satisfactory.
The petitioner claimed a Rajan gang member, Mohammed Alam Khan who was arrested in another case, had allegedly revealed during interrogation that he had fired at Bhonsale at the instance of the overseas-based gangster. A witness in this case had also pointed at Rajan`s role in the firing.
Bike-borne assailants had fired shots at Bhonsale`s car in Koregaon Park area in October 2009. The car driver was injured in the attack.
PTI
