The Pune Police have arrested Former Karnataka minister and Congress leader Veerkumar Patil’s son Pritam Patil for allegedly helping the two asbconding members of the Hagawane family who have been booked in connection with the alleged dowry death in their family.
Pritam Patil has been charged with sheltering Rajendra Hagawane and his son Sushil Hagawane – the two absconding accused in the case involving the alleged dowry death of Rajendra’s 24-year-old daughter-in-law Vaishnavi Hagawane – at a resort located along the Maharashtra-Karnataka border.
Pritam Patil hails from Koganoli in Belagavi district in Karnataka.
Vaishnavi Hagawane (24) was found dead at her in-laws’ house in the Bhukum area of Mulshi tehsil in Pune district on May 16. She allegedly committed suicide on May 16, following harassment over dowry. Incidentally, Rajendra Hagawane (57) and his son Susheel (27), who had been on the run after Vaishnavi’s death, were arrested on May 23.
Both Rajendra and Susaheel were earlier suspended from the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, following the registration of an FIR against the Hagawane family members in connection Vaishavi’s death.
Earlier, Vaisanavi’s husband Shashank Hagawane (26), mother-in-law Lata Hagawane (52) and sister-in-law Karishma Hagawane (22) were arrested within couple of days after the incident,
The Pune Police have also arrested five more persons who had helped the Hagawane father-son duo evade arrest. They are: Pritam Patil (47) from Belagavi in Karnataka, Bandu Bhegade (60) from Vadgaon, Bandu Pathak (55) from Lonavala, Amol Jadhav (35) and Rahul Jadhav (45), both from Satara
Rajendra Hagawane, his son Shashank and other family members have been booked under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) with the charges related to abetment to suicide and domestic violence.
Vaishnavi’s parents have alleged that they had given 51 tolas (595 gm) of gold, silver and an SUV to her husband’s family at the time of marriage. Even after that the Hagawane family harassed her, demanding that she bring Rs 2 crore to purchase land. “My daughter was undergoing torture at the hands of Hagawane family members, her father Anil Kaspate said.
Hagawanes had allegedly thrown Vaishnavi from their house over the dowry money issue. The custody of the 10-month-old child of Vaishnavi has now been handed over to the Kaspate family.