On Tuesday, October 10, the Maharashtra government led by Eknath Shinde agreed to transfer the investigation of the 2020 Palghar lynching case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
2020 Palghar mob lynching case | Maharashtra Government agrees to transfer investigation of the case to the CBI. In an affidavit, Maharashtra Govt says that it is ready and willing to hand over the investigation to the CBI and would have no objection to the same.
— ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2022
In an affidavit dated October 11, 2022, the Maharashtra government stated that it would not object if the CBI were handed the probe and that it is ready and willing to do so.
The case dates back to 16th April 2020, when two Sadhus of Juna Akhara, Chikne Maharaj Kalpavrukshagiri (70), and Sushilgiri Maharaj (35) were lynched along with their 30-year-old driver by a mob. The incident took place at Gadchinchale village in Palghar district, Maharashtra. They were on their way to Surat, Gujarat. The police were present at the scene, but they did not try to stop the mob or did anything to save the sadhus.
The police had initially claimed that their team which had rushed to the spot to rescue the 70-year-old man also came under the attack of the violent mob. However, later videos emerged that completely debunked the claim of the police. Contrary to the claims, the police personnel were seen handing over the Sadhus to the frenzied mob, which went on to beat them to death in front of the policemen.
Several reports that emerged in the wake of the bloodcurdling lynching hinted that the brutal murder of the Hindu sadhus may not have been an act of spontaneity but a part of a broader conspiracy designed to eliminate the Hindu priests. An FIR into the case revealed an ultra-left connection to the lynching as it mentioned that a CPI(M) gram panchayat member had allegedly gathered a mob armed with rods and stones to kill the sadhus.
Reports also emerged that the killing of the Sadhus may have been intentional and politically motivated. The involvement of Christian Missionary organisations and some local NCP leaders and leftists were also suspected.
Uddhav Thackeray Govt had opposed the transfer of the Palghar lynching case to CBI
Notably, five months after the incident, the then Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray had submitted an affidavit in the apex court wherein it had opposed the transfer of the Palghar lynching case to the CBI. The affidavit was submitted days after the Supreme Court sought a response from the then Uddhav Thackeray government on the petitions seeking a CBI and NIA probe into the case of the brutal lynching of Hindu Sadhus in Palghar.
