Nagpur: MLA Ravi Rana on Friday alleged then Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray had pressured police to probe the killing of Amravati pharmacist Umesh Kolhe in June as robbery at the behest of a Congress leader and demanded a probe by an SIT to ascertain Thackeray’s alleged role.
Replying to Rana’s demand, state minister Shamburaj Desai told the Legislative Assembly the State Intelligence Department (SID) will be asked to submit a report to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on the charges levelled by Rana in 15 days.
As per a chargesheet filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against 11 persons last week, Kolhe, who had shared a social media post supporting BJP leader Nupur Sharma’s controversial remarks, was killed by some “radical Islamists” of the Tablighi Jamaat to avenge the alleged dishonour of Prophet Mohammad.
“Kolhe propagated the Hindu religion and when he received threats, the Amravati Police did not take it seriously,” Rana alleged.
“When Kolhe was killed publicly, then CM Thackeray gave instructions to convert the probe into a case of robbery and suppress it at the behest of a Congress leader,” claimed the Independent MLA who hails from Amravati district in east Maharashtra.
He demanded a Special Investigation Team (SIT) be formed to investigate Uddhav’s role. Rana also claimed it was only after he and his MP wife Navneet Rana met the Union home minister (Amit Shah) that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) initiated a probe into Kolhe’s killing.
He demanded action against former Amravati Police Commissioner Arti Singh alleging that she had not acted despite Kolhe complaining about the threats to his life.
The Rana couple had run-ins with Thackeray when he was the chief minister (till June 2022) over various issues, including reciting Hanuman Chalisa, and Arti Singh.
