Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday stepped up his attack on the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Maharashtra government over the murder of the party’s Thane leader Pradeep Purnekar , saying the “real masterminds” behind the killing were in the Shinde camp.
Raut also slammed the Maharashtra government, home department overseen by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, and the Thane police for failing to protect people, asking whether Thane was “not on the map of the Home Department. “I saw the four accused standing there alongside the former mayor’s husband. Two of the accused even came to my car and inspected it. A recce was conducted before my father’s murder. “Let the police investigate and find out who is guilty. I will answer then. However, a few key figures including former MP Rajan Vichare and Kedar Dighe, nephew of Shinde’s mentor Anand Dighe, remained loyal to party chief Uddhav Thackeray.
Thane was an undivided Shiv Sena stronghold for over 25 years and remains the home turf of deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde. Following the 2022 party split, most local corporators joined Shinde.
Two other people, besides myself, witnessed this,” Ram said. Ram said one of the assailants had addressed him as “Pradipdada”, although he did not know the person’s name. “Perhaps the drug mafia was behind this, or it could have stemmed from a political dispute,” he said, adding that his father had previously received threats. Meenakshi Shinde said she didn’t want to respond to the allegations. I don’t want to get into petty politics,” she said.
