Yeshwant Sonawane (right) was burnt alive at Panewadi near Manmad on January 25 allegedly by Popat Shinde (left)
Mateen Hafeez TNN
Mumbai: Following the daylight murder of Malegaon additional collector Yeshwant Sonawane, who was set ablaze by the oil mafia, some ministers had demanded that the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA) be invoked against those responsible for the official’s death. However, legal experts and a section of senior police officers, said that the application of the stringent law won’t be possible as the prime suspect in the case, Popat Shinde, is dead.
Sonawane was burnt alive at Panewadi near Manmad on January 25. At the time of incident, the police FIR said that Sonwane had spotted oil being pilfered from a tanker and warned the suspect who set him on fire. On the other hand, residents of the area and Shinde’s family have alleged that Sonawane had gone there to collect hafta. Shinde, who had suffered burn injuries while setting Sonawane on fire, died on January 31.
“Some politicians want MCOCA to be invoked against the suspects. But Shinde, who was facing more than seven cases under the Essential Commodities Act (ECA), is no more. Moreover, there are not more than two offences for which any of the 10 accused have been charged,” said a senior police official.
To invoke MCOCA, there should be at least two previous charge sheets against an accused in criminal cases. However, there is not a single suspect, other than Shinde, who had been charge sheeted twice.
“At the most, the 10 suspects can be booked under the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities (MPDA) Act and externed,” said another officer.
Shinde, dubbed an oil mafia kingpin, was first booked under the ECA in 2001. In 2003, he was booked under the ECA thrice. In 2006, he was externed due to his illegal activities.
The Times of India, February 8, 2011
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