The Pune police who has been investigating the alleged suicide case of 22-year-old Tik Tok star Pooja Chavan, in which controversial Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Rathod is an accused, has revealed that many phone calls had been exchanged between Pooja and the Shiv Sena leader in the last four-five days before the former allegedly committed suicide.
The recordings of these conversations have been retrieved from the deceased’s mobile phone. Amongst all the conversations between the duo, the Pune police said there is one that had lasted for as long as 90-minutes.
“Prima facie based on the evidence retrieved from the phone, the person talking to her (Pooja) appears to be Rathod. She had recorded all their conversations. The conversations took place in the Banjara language so we are getting a translation done,” a police source was quoted as telling The Indian Express.
Pertinently, both Pooja Chavan and Sanjay Rathod were from the same tribal Banjara community. The Tik Tok star, before her death, had been living in Pune, from where she was pursuing some educational course. After Pooja Chavan death, it was alleged that she was in a relationship with the Shiv Sena leader and ex-Forest Minister Sanjay Rathod.
Maharashtra police had tried to write off Pooja Chavan suicide case by terming it an accidental case
It may be recalled how the Maharashtra police had almost decided to write off the suicide case of Pooja Chavan terming it an accidental death case, six days after the suicide of the young TikTok celebrity. However, the Maharashtra police’s plan fell by the wayside after minister Sanjay Rathod’s name surfaced in connection with the case.
Meanwhile, sources have revealed that Pune police, which is now probing the case, has sent Pooja’s mobile phone, which contains the recordings of her purported conversations with Rathod, to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Pune for retrieval of its data.
CCTV footage recovered, shows Pooja Chavan with Shiv Sena leader’s aide hours before her death
Besides this important evidence, the Pune police have also got their hands on another purported piece of evidence, which too, has been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL). According to reports, the police have recovered CCTV footage from the premises of Yavatmal Medical College hospital, captured before dawn on February 6, approximately 24 hours before Pooja killed herself in Pune.
The Indian Express has reported that sources have informed that the CCTV footage contains purported images of Pooja with Arun Rathod, a close aide of Sanjay Rathod’s. Arun and another aide of Sanjay Rathod’s, Vilas Chavan, stayed with Pooja in the rented apartment in Heaven Park in Pune’s Mohammed Wadi, where she died.
Speculations rife over abortion records of Pooja Chavan
Here it becomes imperative to note that after Pooja Chavan allegedly committed suicide by jumping off the Heaven Park building in Pune’s Wanawadi area on February 8, various speculations were made regarding the possible reason for her suicide. One of them being Pooja Chavan’s pregnancy and subsequent abortion. Then, a copy of a receipt of a government hospital in Yavatmal had also surfaced on social media. The patient’s name mentioned in the receipt was Pooja Arun Rathod and the reason for admission to the hospital was the termination of pregnancy.
Moreover, soon after, many audio tapes allegedly linked to Pooja Chavan’s death, alluding to the involvement of the state minister, had also viral on social media. In one such audio clip, one person was heard making some suggestions to suppress a case. The person also issued instructions in Marathi to take possession of laptops and mobiles phones and the ‘issue’ should not be escalated. Further, some social media posts claimed that Pooja Chavan was in a relationship with the Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Rathod.
Shiv Sena minister resigns
The 22-year-old TikTok celebrity Pooja Chavan’s suicide case has created tremendous political pressure on the Shiv Sena government, especially after the name of one of its cabinet ministers, Sanjay Rathod surfaced in connection with the case. Amidst increasing demands for his immediate resignation and arrest, it was reported on February 16, that Sanjay Rathod had sent his resignation to Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray’s office.
