Produce maval firing chargesheet: Bombay High Court

The Bombay high court on Tuesday directed the police to produce the chargesheet of Maval police firing case before it so that the court could peruse it. A police officer is facing charge of opening fire at a mob of protestors in Maval Taluka in 2011.

The court issued this direction while hearing public interest litigation filed by social activist I.G. Khandelwal seeking an investigation by the CBI against senior police officer Sandeep Karnik, accused of opening fire at a mob in Maval in which one woman was killed. The bench asked police and the state government to produce the charge sheet if it has been filed in the trial court.

Earlier the HC refused to interfere with the state’s decision to give a clean chit to Karnik. Following this Khandelwal filed the petition and challenged the state government’s decision to give a clean chit to Karnik and sought a probe by CBI. According to the petition, Karnik, who was then Superintendent of Police, Pune rural, had opened fire at the mob and it was his bullet that killed the woman.

The government had earlier informed the court in an affidavit that explanation was sought from four officers, and after perusal of their replies a warning was issued to Karnik and disciplinary proceedings were initiated against three police officers.