Mumbai, September 24: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday raised doubts over the "encounter" of Badlapur sexual assault case accused Akshay Shinde and claimed the state government was trying to protect the school management. Talking to reporters, Raut said the "encounter" is suspicious but there is no need to show sympathy for such an accused.

"But this murder or encounter that has taken place was done to save the main accused (school management). How convincing is it that a janitor snatches a gun from a policeman and fire a locked weapon? This is a basic question," Raut said. Shinde, accused of sexually assaulting two minor girls at a school in Badlapur town of Maharashtra's Thane district, died in retaliatory firing by police after he snatched a cop's pistol and opened fire on Monday evening. Akshay Shinde Encounter: Kin Claim Badlapur Sexual Assault Case Accused Killed in ‘Encounter’, Alleges Conspiracy by Police and Management of School; Seek Probe.

The incident occurred at 6.15 pm when Shinde was being taken to Badlapur in Thane district from Taloja Jail in Navi Mumbai in a police vehicle. Raut accused the government of trying to save the Badlapur school management. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis wanted to save the school management and for this they wanted to destroy the main piece of evidence, the Rajya Sabha member alleged.

"This is a big conspiracy. Those who are being saved enjoy patronage of the chief minister and deputy chief minister," Raut claimed. He also said the CCTV footage of the school, when the sexual assault incident occurred, is missing. "The school is related to BJP and yesterday's story (Akshay Shinde's killing) was done to save them," Raut claimed. Badlapur Sexual Assault Case: Main Accused Akshay Shinde Dies in Encounter With Thane Police; Opposition MVA Slams Mahayuti Government.

However, Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske, who is also the spokesperson of the party led by CM Shinde, criticised the opposition parties for their protests and comments questioning the police's bravery. The opposition's actions reflect a "two-headed snake" mentality, prioritising political gains over justice, he claimed in a statement. He expressed dismay at the accusations aimed at the police, arguing that such rhetoric undermines the bravery and professionalism of law enforcement authorities.

"It is unfortunate to question the bravery of our police when they acted in self-defence," the Shiv Sena spokesperson remarked, urging critics to gather all relevant facts before jumping to conclusions. He claimed the opposition had orchestrated the unrest, bringing in over 30 busloads of protesters from outside the area to Badlapur last month (after the sexual assault incident).

Mhaske also pointed out past incidents involving former police officer Sachin Waze, who was implicated in the case of murder of Thane businessman Mansukh Hiran. The MP criticised Shiv Sena (UBT) head and former CM Uddhav Thackeray for previously praising Waze, contrasting this with the current skepticism towards Maharashtra police. "You lauded the Telangana police for their encounter, yet doubt our officers. Is there no shame in this hypocrisy?" he asked.

Meanwhile, Mhaske and other Shiv Sena leaders visited the Jupiter Hospital in Thane to meet with Assistant Police Inspector Nilesh More, who was injured when Akshay Shinde opened fire on cops on Monday. Mhaske emphasised the importance of supporting injured officers to maintain morale within the police force. "The opposition seems more concerned about the death of the accused than the well-being of our police. This duplicitous stance could demoralise our law enforcement authorities," he stated.