The son of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Pradeep Purnekar, who was shot dead in Thane, has given his statement to police, accusing the city’s former mayor Meenakshi Shinde and her husband of orchestrating the crime, officials said on Thursday.
Dismissing the accusations, Meenakshi Shinde, a leader of the ruling Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, strongly denied any involvement in the crime, accusing political rivals of attempting to gain political mileage out of the tragedy.
The Thane police have arrested a suspected assailant and detained another in connection with the murder on Tuesday night, which has triggered protests.
Amid mounting pressure, which also saw Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut and Aaditya Thackeray joining a protest outside the Kapurbawdi police station in Thane on Wednesday, police recorded the detailed statement of Pradeep Purnekar’s 26-year-old son Ram.
In his statement, Ram Purnekar accused former Thane mayor and Shiv Sena leader Meenakshi Shinde and her husband Rajendra of plotting the crime.
Police have registered a case against five persons under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Arms Act after the Sena (UBT) 'Vibhag Pramukh' (division chief) was fatally attacked on Tuesday night near Ghodbunder Road.
The accused include Papya Shinde, a former aide of Purnekar, Santosh Kanojia, alias Talli, Nikhil Yadav, alias ‘Shooter’, and two unidentified individuals.
Ram Purnekar told the police that he spotted Rajendra Shinde “meeting suspiciously” with Kanojia, Yadav and one Nitesh, alias Bhavdya Pawar, in the Ghodbunder area on the night of September 24.
Upon returning home, Ram Purnekar informed his father, who warned him not to step out after 10 pm, expressing fears he might be targeted, reads the statement. Ram told police political and personal rivalries had been brewing since the January 2026.
Thane Municipal Corporation elections, where Meenakshi Shinde contested as a candidate of the Shiv Sena, led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and his mother Vijeta Purnekar and uncle Jayanath Purnekar were nominated by the Opposition Shiv Sena (UBT).
He alleged that ongoing political feuds, land disputes, and his father’s relentless crusade against illegal activities prompted the former mayor and her husband to hatch a plot to target his father.
Speaking to a local news channel, Meenakshi Shinde rejected the allegations made by Ram Purnekar.
"The murder in my ward is most unfortunate, but they have turned it into a political issue. Whenever any such incident occurs in my ward, my name is dragged into it. The current developments are purely to gain political mileage," she said.
"Leaders (of Shiv Sena UBT) like Sanjay Raut and Aaditya Thackeray visited the police station specifically demanding that our names be included in the FIR. They are simply trying to bake their political bread. Police are conducting their investigation, and once concrete proof emerges, the truth will come out before everyone," the former Mayor asserted.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Thane district chief Sandeep Lele strongly condemned the brutal attack, pointing out that 56 different murder incidents have occurred across Thane.
Responding to questions regarding the allegations against Meenakshi Shinde, Lele, whose party is a Shiv Sena ally, emphasized law enforcement must act without hesitation in the case.
"I am deeply pained when such violent incidents take place in Thane, where I have been active in politics for over 30 years," Lele stated.
"What happened is 100 per cent wrong. If anyone's name surfaces in a complaint or statement, the police should grab them by their neck and bring them to book," the BJP leader said.
Lele admitted there must be a strong deterrent against crime in every region.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Avinash Gadve highlighted that the murder carries multiple operational and political angles. Gadve urged law enforcement agencies to carry out a comprehensive probe into all potential facets of the conspiracy.
Meanwhile, amid heavy police presence, Pradeep Purnekar was cremated in the presence of hundreds of people, including Sena (UBT) leaders.
Joint Police Commissioner Dyaneshwar Chavan has told the media that multiple teams of the local police and the Crime Branch are probing the case from all possible angles, adding that many accused in the case have past criminal records.
The incident took place around 9.30 pm in the Ghodbunder area within the jurisdiction of the Kapurbawdi police station when masked assailants opened fire on Pradeep Purnekar inside his office and stabbed him with sharp weapons.
He was rushed to a private hospital nearby, but succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment.
Tensions flared on Wednesday afternoon when hundreds of Sena (UBT) workers, alongside family members and senior leaders Aaditya Thackeray and Sanjay Raut, gathered outside Kapurbawdi police station, carrying Pradeep Purnekar’s mortal remains post-autopsy.
(With inputs from PTI)
