Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
The municipal commissioner G Sreekanth has announced that if any unauthorised hoardings are found anywhere in the city hereafter, those responsible will face charges of culpable homicide. Even if a hoarding merely bears the name of a ‘mitramandal’, the authorities will trace those responsible and register a criminal case against them, he said while speaking to media persons.
He pointed out that thousands of hoardings are still existing across the city and appealed to those who have put them up to remove them voluntarily within 24 hours.
Describing the Mukundwadi incident as extremely unfortunate, the civic chief said an innocent employee had lost his life. For the past several days, repeated appeals had been made not to erect illegal hoardings. Despite this, workers and leaders of various political parties had refused to comply. Henceforth, the administration will adopt a strict stance on the issue.
A folded-hands appeal
The mayor Sameer Rajurkar said, “For the past eight days, I have personally been appealing with folded hands to party workers and leaders not to deface the city. Due to their craving for publicity, a family has been destroyed. I have instructed the municipal commissioner to take stringent action. Even today, wherever hoardings are visible in the city, they must be removed immediately. I have never changed my stand on this issue, and I remain firm in my position.”
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Two separate cases including one of culpable homicide
In connection with the death of Amol Jadhav, instructions have been issued to register two separate criminal cases. The first case has been filed on the complaint of Amol’s brother-in-law, Mahendra Shrikhandé, under Sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 3(5) (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The case has been registered against the concerned municipal officer, supervisor Shivsham Kale, and the individual(s) responsible for installing the banner.
Banner installers and makers also named as accused
On the complaint of assistant municipal commissioner Prasad Deshpande, a second case has been registered in connection with Amol Jadhav’s death. According to the allegations in Deshpande’s complaint, unauthorised banners bearing the names of Dipak Khotkar, Pralhad Gaikwad, Prashant Thombre, Shrimant Gaikwad, and Raghunath Piwal had been put up. These banners were installed by Swapnil, also known as Sonu, along with five others.
Since all involved were found responsible for culpable homicide, a case has been registered under the Maharashtra Prevention of Property Defacement Act, 1995 (Section 2) and the Mumbai Provincial Municipal Corporation Act, 1949 (Sections 244 and 245), said the police inspector Sachin Ingole. PSI Sachin Wayal is conducting further investigation.