SIT summons former Thane mayor Meenakshi Shinde for questioning in Purnekar murder case

The probe into the murder of Pradeep Purnekar, Manpada division chief of the Shiv Sena (UBT), has taken a major turn. The special investigation team (SIT) set up to probe the case has summoned former Thane mayor Meenakshi Shinde for questioning. She is also a sitting corporator from the Shinde faction. She will be questioned in detail at 12 noon today, Tuesday.

The SIT has earlier questioned her husband, Rajendra Shinde, seven times. Bringing the former mayor directly under the scanner has caused a stir in political circles.

The incident took place at around 9.30 pm on September 29. Purnekar was sitting in his office in Manpada when assailants suddenly attacked him. Shots were fired from a pistol and he was struck repeatedly with a chopper, and he was brutally killed. From the start, suspicion has been voiced that political and social enmity lay behind the murder.

In the supplementary statement filed by Purnekar's son, Ram Purnekar, Meenakshi Shinde and her husband Rajendra Shinde were named directly. The Purnekar family says this was a political conspiracy hatched in advance. On this basis, the family has been repeatedly demanding that the Shinde couple be made the main accused in the murder.

The family also held a press conference, where a video from an hour and a half before the murder was shown. The family claims all the accused can be seen with Rajendra Shinde in this video. Meenakshi Shinde has completely denied all the allegations against her.

So far, the SIT has arrested five accused during the investigation. They include Subhash alias Pappa Shinde, an old friend of Purnekar, Nikhil Yadav, Nitesh Pawar and two others. All of them are currently in judicial custody.

As part of the probe, the SIT had also questioned Rajendra Shinde face to face with the main accused at the office of the Thane anti-extortion cell. During the seven rounds of questioning, Rajendra Shinde claimed he had nothing to do with the murder. Meenakshi Shinde has now been summoned, and all eyes are on what emerges from her questioning.