File pic of former Thane Municipal Corporation mayor and Shiv Sena leader Meenakshi Shinde arriving at the Anti-Extortion Cell for questioning in connection with the murder of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Pradeep Purnekar in Thane
Thane: Former Thane mayor and Shiv Sena corporator Meenakshi Shinde on Tuesday approached Thane police commissioner Ashutosh Dumbare seeking additional police protection for the family of slain Shiv Sena (UBT) Manpada division chief Pradeep Purnekar and three local residents, citing an alleged conspiracy by the Opposition to implicate her and deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde in the case. Meanwhile, the Purnekars are learnt to be considering approaching Bombay High Court after their meeting with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday, expressing dissatisfaction over the pace of the Thane police probe.
Dismissing suggestions of a personal rivalry with the Purnekars, Meenakshi said she was not even contesting against them in the same electoral panel. The move comes even as the Purnekar family has named Meenakshi as the alleged mastermind behind the murder. Instead, she pointed to alleged differences between the family and former MP Rajan Vichare, claiming he had not campaigned for Pradeep’s wife Vijeta and his brother Jaynath, who contested the civic elections.