Pradeep Purnekar murder case: Aaditya Thackeray accuses Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde of protecting alleged conspirators

Shiv Sena UBT MLA Aaditya Thackeray on Thursday alleged that Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was trying to protect former Thane Mayor Meenakshi Shinde in connection with the murder of Shiv Sena UBT leader Pradeep PurnekarShiv Sena UBT leaders alleged that the police had arrested only the contract killers and claimed that the alleged conspiracy would not be fully exposed until Meenakshi Shinde and Rajendra Shinde were arrestedldquoWe demand that the main accused and conspirator should be arrested at the earliest We have no idea why she is being protectedhellip When we met the police commissioner we sensed that the policemen are convinced about who the main accused isrdquo Thackeray said according to news agency IANSThackeray along with Purnekarrsquos son Ram Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut and other Shiv Sena UBT leaders from Thane addressed the media after meeting the Thane police commissionerEarlier Thackeray visited Purnekarrsquos residence to meet the slain leaderrsquos wifeAaditya Thackeray questions delay in arrestsThackeray said no arrests had been made despite the police being provided with CCTV footage that the party claimed was evidence in the caseldquoWhat and why are you waiting forrdquo Thackeray asked ldquoThis is a political murder of which CCTV footage is available Why are the main conspirator and masterminds not being arrested Why is Eknath Shinde so desperate to safeguard the accused and conspiratorrdquo he saidThackeray criticises Shinde over Ram Purnekarrsquos detentionThackeray also criticised Shinde over the detention of Ram Purnekar who had reportedly gone to meet the Deputy CM to demand action in his fatherrsquos murder caseldquoWe had come to Thane only to meet the Purnekar family and the police commissioner But the local MP used abusive language and made a childish attempt to threaten us Instead of facing us they Shindeled Sena leaders protested somewhere else and did not face usrdquo Thackeray saidHe also criticised Chief Minister and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis accusing him of failing to deliver justice to the Purnekar familyldquoThe Home Minister is busy breaking parties cutting trees and selling Sahyadri mountain ranges instead of stopping all these thingsrdquo Thackeray said IANS reportedSanjay Raut targets Fadnavis over law and orderTargeting Fadnavis Shiv Sena UBT MP Sanjay Raut said Maharashtra had never had such a weak Home MinisterldquoI want to tell those who challenged us to come to Thane that we not only came here but we are ready to wait till we face you Donrsquot boast because you are in power It is not permanent Meenakshi and Rajendra Shinde are the main accused in this case and people are coming out of the streets to safeguard killersrdquo Raut saidHe added that the police would have to arrest both Meenakshi and Rajendra ShindeWith IANS inputs