Bombay High Court directs magistrate to expedite Maval firing hearing

The Bombay high court has directed the magistrate of Vadgaon-Maval to expedite the hearing on reports that were filed by the Pune police in the 2011 firing incident at Maval near Pune, which killed one woman.

The HC was hearing a criminal PIL filed by activist Ishwari Prasad Khandelwal, who claimed that the investigation report of the local police station and the report of the state-appointed Gaikwad committee had contradictions, and so the investigation in the Maval firing case should be transferred to the CBI.

On Thursday, petitioner Mr Khandelwal said in the court that three FIRs had been registered in the Maval firing incident. The police has filed two reports in the case — a closure report and a summary report which says that the accused is unidentified, yet to be arrested and that the chargesheet had been filed on the third FIR.

Further, Mr Khandelwal said in the court “as of now, magistrate of Vadgaon-Maval hasn’t taken any decision on this report”.

Justice Abhay Oka and Justice A.A. Sayed said that they couldn’t have a hearing until the magistrate takes a call on the matter. The petitioner then requested the court to direct the magistrate to decide on the matter expeditiously. The court accepted the request and directed the magistrate accordingly. The court will hear the matter on October 24, 2016.

It may be recalled that, on August 8, 2011, the police had opened fire on villagers protesting against the government’s decision to lay a closed pipeline to supply water from Pavna dam to the limits of Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation. Agriculturist had claimed that they would not get water for their crops if the closed pipeline was laid and had started a protest.