Try Hinganghat case in fast-track court, demands Fadnavis

BJP leader and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday visited the hospital, where the woman lecturer set ablaze by a stalker in Wardha district has been admitted and enquired about her condition.

Fadnavis visited Orange City Hospital& Research Centre in the city, where the 25-year-old woman is undergoing treatment, in the evening and also met her relatives. The Leader of Opposition in the assembly spoke to doctors treating the victim and inquired about her condition.

The woman, Ankita Pisudde (25), a resident of Hinganghat in adjoining Wardha district, was allegedly set ablaze by one Vikesh Nagrale (27) on Monday while she on way to her college. Pisudde suffered 40 per cent burns. In a medical bulletin issued earlier in the day, the hospital said her condition remains critical.

Fadnavis demanded that the case be tried in a fast- track court to ensure speedy justice to the victim. "The relatives of the victim want speedy justice and strict punishment to the accused. Our demand is that the state government designate a fast-track court to try the case.

"There is a need to create fear of law among people looking at the increasing number of such incidents in Maharashtra. We will give all support to the government on this issue," said Fadnavis. Meanwhile, leading city-based lawyer Prashant Kumar Sathianathan said on Thursday he has been approached by the Wardha police to become the special public prosecutor in the Hinganghat case.

He said the Wardha superintendent of police had sought his consent for the assignment and he has given the same. However, no official letter has been issued to him so far by the government, Sathianathan said. Sathianathan was the public prosecutor in the case against former Delhi University professor G N Saibaba, who is serving a life sentence for his links with Naxals.