A local court in Palghar has granted ‘default’ bail to 28 accused who were suspected to be part of the mob which brutally lynched two Hindu Sadhus to death on April 16. While a total of 154 were arrested, the police failed to file charge sheet against all the accused. Consequently, the court granted bail to 28 of them as no charge sheet was filed for the specified 90 days.
The CID filed a charge-sheet in July against those arrested but it did not include the names of all. They were arrested on the basis of the two FIRs filed in the case in April. The charge sheet filed on August 6 mentions 47 accused and seeks their conviction on charges of obstructing to duty of the police, rioting and attempt to murder. However, not all 28 will be released immediately as 18 of them are also named in the third CID charge sheet filed before the Dhanau court last week.
The lethargy of the MVA government in pursuing the Palghar Sadhu lynching case was evident right from the beginning. The state government was dilly-dallying to arrest the culprits and take the case seriously. Public pressure forced the government to act. Many have accused that the investigation into the case has been lackadaisical and is not going in the proper direction as the planners of the lynching are close to some leaders who are part of the ruling MVA coalition.
Sadhus Kalpavruksha Giri (70) and Sushilgiri Maharaj (35) and their driver Nilesh Telgade (30) were lynched by a organised mob in Gadchinchale village in Kasa area of Palghar over rumours of child trafficking. The brutal lynching of the Sadhus in Palghar in Maharashtra has shocked and angered the entire nation. The Sadhus who belonged to the Juna Akhara were beaten to death by a murderous mob of over 300 people with sticks. The incident which took place on April 16th came to light only after the video of the incident was shared on social media.
