Thane police question former mayor Minakshi Shinde in Balu Purnekar murder probe

Thane police on Tuesday questioned former mayor and Shiv Sena councillor Minakshi Shinde in connection with the murder of Pradeep alias Balu Purnekar, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief of the Manpada division. Shinde herself confirmed that she appeared for questioning after being summoned by the police.

Purnekar was killed on September 29 in his office in the Manpada area of Thane. The questioning of Shinde is the latest development in the investigation.

Police have so far arrested five accused in the case. They are Subhash Shinde alias Papya, Nikhil Yadav, Nitesh Pawar, Santosh Kanaujia alias Talli and Amit Singh. All five are currently in judicial custody.

Purnekar's family has alleged that Minakshi Shinde and her husband Rajendra Shinde were involved in the alleged conspiracy behind the murder. The allegations have not been proved, and the investigation is continuing. Police have questioned Rajendra Shinde several times earlier. He has denied any involvement in the crime.

The fresh questioning of Minakshi Shinde came after a press conference held on Monday by Purnekar's wife Vijeta and son Ram. Ram also shared CCTV footage at the press conference. The family claims the footage raises questions about the identity of the fifth accused and about Rajendra Shinde's alleged role in the case.

The Thane police Special Investigation Team is continuing its probe. The team is trying to establish the motive behind the murder, and is also examining whether others were involved in the crime.

Police have arrested five accused, who are in judicial custody, while the investigation into the family's allegations is still on. No allegation against anyone has been proved.