Asangaon father-daughter suicide: Maharashtra Human Rights Commission pulls up Thane cops

Following middayrsquos reports on the fatherdaughter suicides in Asangaon the Maharashtra Human Rights Commission pulled up the Thane Rural cops for dragging their feet in the case The police were also asked whether they would do the same if a common man was accused in the crimeAn Assistant SubInspector from Shahapur police station has been booked for abetting the suicide of Vikas Kedare and his daughter in MarchThe state Human Rights Commission summoned Deputy Superintendent of Police Shahapur region Navnath Dhawale and social activist Shivaji Ragade on Tuesday in connection with the suicide of 36yearold Vikas and his daughter Aarya based on the report in midday on March 17 The hearing was before Justice Retd KK Tated and member Bhagwant MoreVikas Kedare with daughter AaryaSources told midday the Commission members asked for the details of the case and questioned why it took almost 15 days to book ASI RS Kshirsagar in the abetment to suicide case when Vikasrsquos family had been demanding the same since day 1 of the incident The Commission also questioned why the accused cop had not yet been arrested and whether the police would behave this way if a common man was booked as an accusedDy SP Dhawale said the investigation was ongoing and for an impartial probe an officer from Padgha police station has been appointed as Investigating officerRagade social activist and family friend of Vikas told the Commission ldquoThe wrongdoing of cops starts from the suicide of Monali Kedare Vikasrsquos wife There was no evidence to book Vikas and his mother Pushpalata in the matter Kshirsagar himself told this to Vikas but still registered an FIR as he Vikas didnrsquot pay him Kshirsagar kept demanding money till he Vikas was produced in jail Even after Vikas was released Kshirsagar demanded his flat documents from him for unknown reasons Vikasrsquos suicide note clearly mentions Kshirsagar the cops should have arrested him immediatelyrdquoThe Commission has set April 20 as the date for the next hearing DySP Dhawale remained unavailable for commentFamily demands CID probeSuspecting an unfair probe and cover up Vikasrsquos family approached Home Minister Dilip WalsePatil on Tuesday The family and friends wrote a letter to the minister seeking the probe be handed over to the State CID for investigation ldquoThe accused in the case is a cop and it is being probed by officials from a nearby police station We canrsquot expect justice in such situation Also ASI Kshirsagar was handling the suicide case of Monali and his consistent pressuring resulted in the death of two persons If the inquiry is impartial the accused will be sentencedrdquo said Pushpalata Vikasrsquos motherThe caseVikas Suryakant Kedare 36 stayed in Asangaon with his wife Monali daughter Aarya and 65yearold mother Pushpalata On August 15 2021 Monali allegedly consumed poison and was declared dead before admission at a hospital After a complaint from her relatives Vikas and his mother were jailed for abetting suicide Vikas spent 4 months in prison while his mother was jailed for 2 months Vikasrsquos family has alleged that ASI RS Kshirsagar was demanding Rs 15 lakh from him to not register the case