MUMBAI: The Mumbai Crime Branch, with assistance from Buldhana Police, apprehended two individuals on Friday in connection with an email threat targeting Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The suspects, identified as Mangesh Wayal (35) and Abhay Shingane (22), are residents of Deulgaon Mahi in Deulgaon Raja taluka, Buldhana district. Both are being brought to Mumbai for further investigation.
They will be produced before a court of law for custody.
The investigation was set in motion after Goregaon Police Station received an email on Thursday, threatening to bomb Deputy CM Shinde’s car. Following the receipt of this threat, an FIR was registered under Sections 351(3), 351(4), and 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Despite the threat, Deputy CM Shinde continued with his official duties. He attended the swearing-in ceremony of Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday, accompanied by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and fellow Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. Later, Shinde also fulfilled other public engagements as scheduled.
Commenting on the incident, Shiv Sena spokesperson Kiran Hegde stated, “These appear to be the actions of pranksters, but the police must not take this lightly. Strict action should be taken to ensure that such miscreants are discouraged from issuing threats in the future. DCM Shinde is a mass leader who remains unfazed by such intimidation. He has worked across various regions of the state, including the Naxal-affected areas of Gadchiroli. Nevertheless, the authorities must treat these threats with the seriousness they deserve.”
The incident has triggered a political slugfest, with opposition leaders questioning Maharashtra’s law and order situation.
Authorities have, however, assured that all necessary security measures are being taken and the investigation is progressing on several fronts.