'Don't want such people...': Ajit Pawar on dowry death case involving former NCP leader

Mumbai: Keeping his distance from the Hagawane family, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said that he has asked the police to form multiple teams and make sure all the accused are arrested.

Pawar said that as soon as the incident was reported, he asked the Pune and the Pimpri-Chinchwad police to form teams and track down the accused.

“I have nothing to do with it,” said Pawar, who is the NCP President.

After the family’s younger daughter-in-law Vaishnavi Hagawane died by suicide last Friday, the Bavdhan police station registered an FIR and filed charges under BNS which are related to dowry death, abetment to suicide, physical assault, among others.

The police booked her husband Shashank Hagawane, mother-in-law Lata Hagawane, father-in-law Rajendra Hagawane, sister-in-law Karishma Hagawane, and brother-in-law Sushil Hagawane.

After absconding for a week, the police on Friday arrested Rajendra Hagawane and Sushil Hagawane.

Earlier the police had arrested Shashank Hagawane, Lata Hagawane and Karishma Hagawane.

Rajendra Hagawane who was known to be associated with Nationalist Congress Party has been expelled by the party.

“We do not want such people in our party,” Pawar said.

Vaishnavi Hagawane was found dead at her husband Shashank Hagawane’s house on May 16 in the Bhukum village of the Mushi tehsil - after suffering through mental and physical torture at the hands of the Hagawane over dowry demands.

In a related development, a case has been registered at Warje Police Station against Nilesh Chavan, reportedly a friend of Karishma Hagawane and a business partner of Shashank Hagawane, for allegedly threatening Vaishnavi's family members.

Meanwhile NCP (SP) Working President and Baramati MP Supriya Sule announced her party would launch a state-wide campaign against dowry in Maharashtra.