Absconding former NCP leader, son held in dowry-suicide case of daughter-in-law

An ex-NCP leader from Pune and his son, who were on the run after being named in a dowry harassment and abetment to suicide case involving the former’s daughter-in-law, were arrested on Friday, police said.

“Rajendra Hagawane and his son Sushil were taken into custody from the Swargate area while attempting to flee the city,” said Vishal Gaikwad, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 2) of the Pimpri Chinchwad area.

He said they had formed six teams to track down Rajendra and Sushil. Both will be produced in the court during the day, the official said.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who heads the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), said on Thursday that he had expelled the father-son duo from his party over the issue.

Rajendra Hagawane’s daughter-in-law Vaishnavi (26) allegedly hanged herself on May 16 at her in-laws’ house in the Bavdhan area of Pimpri-Chinchwad in Pune district.

Her parents alleged they had given 51 tolas (595 gm) of gold, silver and an SUV to her husband’s family at the time of marriage, but the Hagawane family harassed her yet, demanding she bring Rs 2 crore to purchase land.

A First Information Report (FIR) was registered against her husband Shashank, mother-in-law Lata Rajendra Hagawane, Rajendra Hagawane, sister-in-law Karishma, and brother-in-law Sushil under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections concerning abetment to suicide and domestic violence, police said.

Police had already arrested Vasihnavi’s the husband, mother-in-law and sister-in-law of the victim, while Rajendra and Sushil were on the run.