No chargesheet filed yet, I'm mentally exhausted: Thane's run-over victim shares ordeal

Thane, April 8 (IANS) Social media influencer Priya Singh, who faced a murderous attempt on her life allegedly by her boyfriend Ashwajit Gaikwad, hailing from a family of bureaucrats, is awaiting justice even after one year of the incident.

The 26-year-old Priya Singh was severely injured when her boyfriend, a son of an influential bureaucrat, allegedly rammed his car into her in December 2023. The incident, which took place in Thane, gained national prominence because of the nature of the crime and also the purported involvement of a high-profile bureaucrat's son.

More than a year has gone by, but the run-over victim is still knocking on the doors of the police for justice.

Priya Singh, speaking to IANS, shared her ordeal and also alleged that the state machinery was being partisan towards the government official's son and hence she was being deprived of her rightful claim to justice.

“I have been running from pillar to post, but no charge sheet has been filed by the police yet. I am mentally exhausted,” she told IANS.

“Had it been any other common man or a person from an average family, he would have been behind bars by now. Since he comes from a powerful family, he is enjoying all the privileges, and I am at the receiving end,” she further stated, with her voice reflecting a sense of despondency.

She claimed that she has received several death threats in the past few months and also spoke about the ‘dire consequences’ warning given to her by unknown elements.

She also demanded interrogation of boyfriend Ashwajit Gaikwad’s father, a very senior officer in the Maharashtra government and with ‘close links’ in the highest decision-making body of the government.

Priya Singh, after facing a near-fatal attack by her boyfriend in December 2023, had recorded her statement before the Thane police and narrated harrowing details of the dreadful night. She had explained how an argument resulted in Gaikwad abusing and thrashing her, also attempting to kill her by strangulation and then asking his friend to mow her down.

Despite lodging a police complaint, there was no end to her travails. Police didn’t record her statement for months, despite her approaching them multiple times.

Maharashtra Police’s dilly-dally approach in handling her complaint also earned it a rap from the Bombay High Court, last year. The Bombay HC took a stern view of the bungled probe and pulled up the police for failing to record the supplementary statement of Priya Singh.

The High Court also said that it was ‘startled’ to know that the investigating officer was more interested in filing a claim for damages or compensation before the Motor Accident Claim Tribunal (MACT) than in probing the case.

--IANS

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