Lok Sabha Election 2024: Meet The Candidate In South Mumbai Who Calls A Murder Accusation a 'Train Mishap'

The VIP seat of Mumbai South is key Lok Sabha constituency in Maharashtra. The seat will witness voting in the 5th phase on May 20 along with other Mumbai seats. Shiv Sena(UBT)'s incumbent MP Arvind Sawant is once again in the fray against Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena's Yamini Jadhav, who also happens to be an MLA from Byculla assembly constituency of the seat. Though the major fight is between these two, there's an another candidate who caught attention of this reporter. 

Manisha Gohil Khakhadiya, who is contesting as an independent from the Mumbai South seat, has charges of murder against her. In 2018, she was at Mulund station in Mumbai's suburbs, when she had a fight with 56-year-old Deepak Patwa over the latter allegedly touching her inappropriately. What followed later was something that shook the city. Patwa was allegedly pushed from the crowded railway platform and he fell down. An incoming local train ran over him, resulting in his death. Gohil says she wasn't the one who pushed Patwa. The charges in this case have not been framed yet and trial is yet to begin. Another college student was arrested in this case with same charges as Gohil. 

Watch the video of the 2018 incident: 

Speaking to Lokmattimes.com, Gohil narrated her side of the story regarding the incident. "I did not push him (Patwa). I had gone to Mulund with my aunt. I was holding her and ascending on the station's stairs. He had already touched a pregnant lady inappropriately and I had seen that. He also touched me in same manner when I held his hand and asked why he touched me in this manner even when I was like his daughter's age. He tried to climb down the stairs and vanish when I chased him to hand over to the RPF. He thought he would descend from the platform and run away to other side. However, there were some college students. One of the boys from them came ahead who I did not know personally. I told him what he (Patwa) did with me and other women. When those boys tried to catch him, he (Patwa) had a scuffle with the boy (accused) and lost his balance from the edge of the platform. That's when the train came in and ran over him."

"No one among us pushed him. From the start, he wanted to run away to the opposite platform by descending on the tracks. I was telling him that I would hand him over to the RPF," Gohil said. She denied that initial reports that a couple pushed Patwa from the platform, saying her husband was not with her at that time and she did not know the college student who had scuffled with Patwa. 

Asked if the murder accusation against her would be used by her opponents in the ensuing elections, she said, "I can't say anything. This is politics. Anything can happen."

When questioned about her candidature as an independent candidate against big candidates like Arvind Sawant and Yamini Jadhav, Manisha Gohil, who has earlier worked with the BJP in various positions including the local unit chief of OBC cell, said, "Sawant and Jadhav are both my colleagues, friends. I have nothing against them. But you should know what's happening in South Mumbai presently. Buildings of BMC workers are being demolished in the name of redevelopment but they are not being made aware of when will they get the compensatory houses in its replacement under the Aashray scheme. There's discrimination happening with the cleaners. As per decades old GR, those living here for over 35 years should get ownership rights of the houses. But that is not happening. We have written to Devendra Fadnavis and Rahul Narvekar about the same. They verbally promise that they would give the ownership rights but do not give anything in written. The cleaners are being provided rents but they are staying far away and facing difficulties. What is happening in the name of Aashray scheme is not right. I have been fighting it from the last 2 years."  

Gohil said people are confused who they should vote for among Sawant and Jadhav since both are from (undivided) Shiv Sena. 

Gohil said other issues she is fighting for are the unviable Pagdi system (customary tenancy model), rights of sex workers and their children, pensions for sex workers, rights of transgender community and pension  for them, sort out issues of caste certificate of SC students. 

Gohil said she did receive messages from the big candidates on withdrawing her candidature from the election. "If I take back my candidature, there will be no representation of the poor and oppressed in this election. If I withdraw now, no one will trust me in future."