Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said it was not right to target state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule over his son’s car accident. Police arrested the driver of the luxury car belonging to Sanket, son of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Maharashtra unit president Chandrashekhar Bawankule, after its car hit several vehicles in Nagpur. Arjun Haware, who was driving the Audi car, was arrested on Monday night and later released on bail (at a local police station), a senior police officer said. According to police, Sanket was in the car at the time of the accident.
Speaking to reporters here, home department chief and Maharashtra deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis said, “The police are investigating and an FIR has been lodged. The facts of the case have already come out. However, the way the opposition is targeting (Chandrashekhar) Bawankule is unfair.”
On the other hand, BJP leader Raosaheb Danve said action will be taken against those “culprits” of the incident. “Whoever is found guilty in this case will face action and punishment as per the law. It is true that the car involved in the Nagpur accident is registered in the name of Sanket Bawankule and he was in that car. Let the law do its job,” the former Union minister said.
After the incident, Chandrashekhar Bawankule admitted that the Audi car was registered in the name of his son Sanket. He said, “The police should conduct a thorough and fair investigation into the accident without any bias. Those found guilty should be booked and appropriate action should be taken against them. I have not spoken to any police officer. The law should be equal for everyone.”
Earlier on Monday, an official of Sitabaldi police station in Nagpur said that no action has been taken so far against Sanket Bawankule and two others who allegedly fled from the spot on Mankapur bridge. He said that a case has been registered on the complaint of Jitendra Sonkambale for negligent driving and other offences following the accident that took place late Sunday night. Sonkambale’s car was hit by an Audi car.
The officer said that the people in the Audi car were returning from a beer bar in Dharampeth area when the accident happened. He said that the blood of the accused will also be tested during the medical examination to find out whether they were drunk at the time of the accident. He said, “We are investigating the incident by examining the CCTV footage, after which action will be taken on all aspects.”