Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut launched a sharp critique against Maharashtra’s Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday, questioning his suitability to lead the home department. Raut’s remarks come a day after a luxury car owned by BJP state chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule’s son, Sanket Bawankule, was involved in a high-profile accident in Nagpur.
Speaking to reporters, Raut alleged that evidence related to the incident had been tampered with and that Fadnavis’s tenure as home minister was undermining the integrity of investigations in the state. “As long as Fadnavis is the home minister and Rashmi Shukla is the director general of police, there will never be any fair investigation in any matter in the state,” Raut claimed.
The incident, which occurred in the early hours of Monday, involved an Audi car owned by Sanket Bawankule hitting multiple vehicles in the Ramdaspeth area of Nagpur. According to a police official, the car struck several vehicles after leaving a beer bar in the Dharampeth area. A medical examination is set to include blood tests for alcohol detection.
“The car is registered in Bawankule’s name, yet all the evidence has been removed,” Raut asserted. He criticized the handling of the case, noting that despite the severity of the incident—where two persons were injured—the names of those involved, including Sanket Bawankule, were not initially mentioned in the FIR. He also claimed that the car’s number plate was removed following the accident.
According to Sitabuldi police station officials, the Audi first collided with a car owned by complainant Jitendra Sonkamble and then with a moped, injuring two youths. The vehicle continued to cause damage before being stopped by a Polo car’s occupants near Mankapur bridge, where two of the Audi’s occupants, driver Arjun Hawre and Ronit Chittamwar, were apprehended.
Chandrashekhar Bawankule, acknowledging that the Audi was registered to his son, has called for a thorough and impartial investigation. “Police should conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the accident without any bias. Those found guilty should be charged and appropriate action should be taken against them. I have not spoken to any police official. The law must be equal for all,” Bawankule stated.
As the controversy continues, the public and political observers await further developments and a clearer picture of the investigation’s direction.
