IRB offered Satish Shetty over Rs2 crore, reveals CBI report

A copy of the CBI closure report in the Satish Shetty murder case reveals scandalous information on officials of IRB offering money and threatening with dire sequences the RTI activist over the company’s land deals in Lonavala. Presently, the CBI has let all the accused off the hook

 

Pune-based right to information (RTI) activist Satish Shetty, was brutally murdered while he was returning from his morning walk on 13 February 2010. However, four months before his death, Shetty had filed a police complaint against officials of Ideal Road Builders (IRB), that they were threatening him with serious violence. He had also asked for police protection but never received any.


Excerpts from the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) Closure report of August 11, 2014, should shock every citizen for the brazen manner in which the alleged criminals are being protected, allegedly at the behest of a top politician of the country, belonging to Maharashtra. The murder of Satish Shetty is allegedly related to a huge land scam near Lonavala along the Pune-Mumbai Expressway by IRB and its associated group.


Here is what the closure report from CBI says:


“Investigation by CBI revealed that the deceased Satish Bhoja Shetty was a Social Worker and RTI activist and he had filed a complaint against many persons, including Adv Vijay Dabhade of Talegaon, regarding encroachment on Government land and many other illegal activities which came to his notice.”


“Investigations by CBI revealed that the deceased had filed a number of complaints against Smt Ashiwini Kshirsagar, the then Sub-Registrar at Lonavala, for illegally registering Government land on the basis of false documents. The deceased had filed a complaint  on 16 September 2009 with the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Pune Rural, against Smt Kshirsagar and others, for registering Government land on the basis of bogus documents. Therefore, on 15 October 2009, on the fresh complaint of the deceased CR no152/2009 a case u/s420, 467, 468, 469, 471 and 34 of IPC was registered at Lonavala City Police Station against Virendra Mhaiskar, director of Aryan Infrastructure Investment Pvt Ltd and 12 others regarding illegal purchase of Government land in Pimpaloli village and Ozarde village, Maval taluka, Dist. Pune on the basis of fake and forged documents in connivance with Ashwini Kshirsagar, the then sub-registrar, Lonavala, who was also cited as an accused in the said FIR.”


“After registration of the said case, the deceased, Satish Shetty was offered a bribe of Rs2 crore to stop pursuing the matter, by Jayant Dangre, Liason Manager of IRB Group and on Shetty's refusal, he was threatened by Jayant Dangre to break his hands and legs by his men.”


“Thereafter, vide letters dated 23 November 2009 and 24 November 2009, the deceased Satish Shetty had requested Superintendent of Police, Pune Rural for providing police protection to him and his family but he did not get police protection despite recommendation dated 8 January 2010 from Dilip Shinde, SDPO of Lonavala who had recorded statement of Satish Shetty in this regard on 25 December 2009. The deceased Shetty was murdered on 13 January 2010 with sharp edged weapon...”

 

“On the basis of the evidence collected during investigation, the following persons were also arraigned as accused in this case their role was investigated by the CBI:


1. Jayant Dattatreya Dange, Liason Manager, Modern Roadmakers Pvt Ltd (subsidiary of M/S IRB Infrastructure Developers), Chandivili Farm, Chandivili Village, Andheri East, Mumbai.


2. Adv Ajit Balat Kulkarni, 28-B, Gharkul, Ganeshkrupa Society, Paud Road, Kothrud, Pune


3. Bhausaheb Raosaheb Andhalkar, the then police inspector, Local Crime Branch, Pune


4. Namdev Sukhdeo Kauthale, the then police sub inspector, Local Crime Branch


5. Virendra Dattatray Mhaiskar, Managing Director, of IRB Infrastructure Developers

Ltd and Director of Aryan Infrastructure Investments Pvt Ltd, Chandivili Farm, Chandivili Village, Andheri East, Mumbai


6. Dilip Arjunrao Shinde, the then deputy superintendent of police and SDPO, Lonavala, Dist Pune”


Satish Shetty’s application for police protection:


Satish Shetty in his complaint has stated that he filed a complaint with the Lonavala police station as well as with the Inspector General of Registration.


The CBI closure report states: “…on account (of his complaints) the accused persons have come under difficulty and the IRB company, which had spent crores of rupees to purchase the said lands is facing problem in getting the said land transferred in their name.

 

Therefore, the Director of IRB, the concerned agents and many farmers had become angry with him. Therefore they are trying to allure him and also pressurising and intimidating him…”


“…due to the fact that he was providing evidence in respect of the illegal acts and due to the financial and social loss to the said persons, the said persons either themselves or through their men are likely to cause danger to his life and the life of his family members and they want to give a message that anybody who will do such social work will face consequences like him. In view of the said facts, he had requested adequate police protection to him, free of cost, as he is unable to bear the cost of police protection…”


“Investigations revealed vide letter no.349/2010 dated 12 January 2010 addressed to SP, Pune Rural, Sunil Tonpe had forwarded his recommendation that he may be provided police protection.”


CBI investigations further reveal:


“During investigations by CBI, Dinesh Sadanand Shetty, the cousin of the deceased was examined…He stated that he came in contact with Jayant Dangre through his friend Pramod Tigle, when the work of NH4 Expressway was in progress. He stated that the deceased Satish Shetty had exposed land dealings of the IRB group as they were purchasing land on bogus documents. Thereafter, Jayant Dangre had met him and told him…if all the matters pertain to IRB are settled, then they would give Rs2 to 2.5 crore.

 

The next day he told Satish Shetty to meet Jayant Dangre. But, the meeting did not happen. Thereafter, Jayant Dangre had telephonically told him that Ganesh Khandge was going to hold a meeting with Satish Shetty to settle the matter and he had told this to Satish Shetty, upon which Satish Shetty became angry and did not meet Ganesh Khandge…”


“He stated the land, which IRB had purchased in the name of Virendra Mhaiskar through Adv Kulkarni were done on bogus documents and when Mhaiskar's name was exposed, Jayant Dangre had telephonically told him to tell Satish Shetty not to proceed further else he would not spare him…”


“Jayant Dangre had also asked him on telephone, why Satish Shetty was behind  Mhaiskar? He advised him to lay off for the sake of his boys and if his hands and legs were broken what would he do?”


While Sandeep Shetty, Satish’s brother is demanding re-investigation, the fact is the 'influential' in India have an upper hand over the common man.


Here is a copy of the CBI closure report...

 

 

 

(Vinita Deshmukh is consulting editor of Moneylife, an RTI activist and convener of the Pune Metro Jagruti Abhiyaan. She is the recipient of prestigious awards like the Statesman Award for Rural Reporting which she won twice in 1998 and 2005 and the Chameli Devi Jain award for outstanding media person for her investigation series on Dow Chemicals. She co-authored the book “To The Last Bullet - The Inspiring Story of A Braveheart - Ashok Kamte” with Vinita Kamte and is the author of “The Mighty Fall”.)

Comments
Madhur Aggarwal
1 decade ago
I felt very sad at the state of affairs in whole country.
An upright and well meaning Activist had to loose his life to protect national assets and going by the guiding principle of Socialism.

I am angry !!
I am sad !!
I want to do something besides writing here.
I want to be Satish Shetty for a day and look in the eyes of Land Mafia/ Corrupt elite and take them to task as per law .
I live in Delhi !!
I am young , optimistic but my Idea of India is into shattered pieces of glass .
And I am looking at it despondently.
We need a leader like
Imran Khan
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Mahathir mohamad
for guidance , for keeping our spirit high to re- build India after 68 years of Dissatisfaction .
santosh
Replied to Madhur Aggarwal comment 1 decade ago
Hi Madhur,
I am Satish;s elder brother,the only thing I can tell u is Satish never feared death,We tried to get him off social work when we heard a lot of chatter about threat to his life.It was difficult to convince him,there is none other like him in our family selfless and fearless,I guess God makes only a few like him. I am proud to be associated with him just by chance.And the land Mafia u talk about, no its not . Here are the names . Sharad Pawar .Nitin Gadkari , Virendra Mahiskar ..and these are our leaders .. God save us .. Police involved in hiring contractors to get the job done, politicians involved in Hushing up.. closing any investigation. Sign of hope honest CBI officer Mr Singh , sheds light on the whole nexus,Was transferred last week for doing good work. !!!

""Ache Din Aa rahe hai ""
Veeresh Malik
Replied to santosh comment 1 decade ago
Hello Santosh - I met your brother 9 years ago in Pune, and agree with you about him. Please let me know if there is any way in which I can help from Delhi in this. Veeresh Malik
santosh
Replied to Veeresh Malik comment 1 decade ago
Hi Veeresh,
The only way we can get justice is by spreading the word,Media has been bought and no one wants to talk about this,closure was well planned and took's 6 months and a lot of money to stall the investigation.Some brave and honest reporters like Vinita Mam and some guys at Mid Day are the only ones reporting. NDTV awarded him Indian of the year along with others in 2010 , now they want nothing to do with this case, what a shame. I need help in getting the information in the closure report across. Only with help from people like you and the courts we expect Justice.
Veeresh Malik
1 decade ago
Which is why, golden rule in context with any form of do-good activism in larger public interest, one never goes for "meetings" unless summoned by judicial or quasi-judicial entities. It is so easy to get tainted as a black-mailer or worse, that is one reason, and not without justification too. And secondly, it is simply not safe, no idea what people mix in food or beverage-or inject or blow.

In one episode I heard of, the person was asked to take his shoes off to go into the meeting, and when he came back he noticed some weird powdery substance inside the shoes so he did not wear them, carried them out, and then threw those shoes away. Years later one recalls reading that a particular BaBaJi (ex Armed Forces guy incidentally) had mastered the art of poisoning people as part of his "we solve all problems" service, by exactly the same method - a powder in the shoes and withina few days, the person would die.

Can't take much precautions during a morning walk, agreed, but guess one will have to do that too, varying the time and route. Interim, read the closure report and read between the lines there too.

Thanks, Vinita.
nilesh prabhu
Replied to Veeresh Malik comment 1 decade ago
all that you say is okay, but how about competence of police/cbi, we have seen auroshi case, J Dey, narendra dabholkar and this case

investigation officers seems to be cluesless
Veeresh Malik
Replied to nilesh prabhu comment 1 decade ago
I am not competent enough to comment on the competency of the Police and/or CBI. There is ample material out in the public domain on the subject. Point I am trying to make here is to set up precautions. For example, I have -

# 24x7 CCTV recording outside my house
# dashcam in car
# always carry a couple of cameras in addition to mobile phone camera
# vary morning walk and other routines
# never accept requests for "meetings" from all and sundry
# document and place on record immediately any threat perception, leave alone actual threat.
# am extremely careful about what sort of food / beverage I accept from anybody especially unknown and find more safety in street food being eaten by all.

That kind of stuff. What do we citizens know about Police ad CBI?
TIHARwale
1 decade ago
Fact of the matter is Judiciary has failed to deliver and so invesigative agency and police will have no interest to produce clinching evidence. So common man will have to wait for divine justice only and he will feel delivered only when perpetrators meet gory end
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