Vaishnavi Hagawane Suicide: Rajendra Hagawane, Son Sushil Arrested; Nilesh Chavan Booked; NCP-SP to Launch Campaign Against Dowry, Domestic Violence - All You Need To Know
Former Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Rajendra Hagawane and his son Sushil, who were on the run after being named in a dowry harassment and abetment to suicide case involving the former's daughter-in-law Vaishnavi, have been arrested by the police while trying to flee Pune, officials said on Friday.
"Rajendra Hagawane and his son Sushil were taken into custody from the Swargate area while attempting to flee the city," said Vishal Gaikwad, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 2) of the Pimpri-Chinchwad area.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who heads the NCP, said on Thursday that he had expelled the father-son duo from his party over the issue.
Hagawane's daughter-in-law, Vaishnavi (26), allegedly hanged herself on May 16. Her parents alleged they had given 51 tolas (595 gm) of gold, silver and an SUV to her husband's family at the time of marriage, but the Hagawane family harassed her further, demanding she bring Rs 2 crore to purchase land.
An FIR was registered at Bavdhan Police Station against her husband Shashank, mother-in-law Lata, father-in-law Rajendra, sister-in-law Karishma, and brother-in-law Sushil under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections concerning abetment to suicide and domestic violence.
Police had already arrested Vaishnavi's husband, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law, while her father-in-law and brother-in-law were on the run.
Nilesh Chavan Booked
A case has been registered at Warje Police Station against Nilesh Chavan, reportedly a friend of Karishma Hagawane and a business partner of Shashank Hagawane, for allegedly threatening Vaishnavi's family members after they went to his house to get custody of her 10-month-old child.
"When Vaishnavi's family, the Kaspates, went to the residence of Nilesh Ramchandra Chavan on May 19 to get custody of her 10-month-old child, he threatened them with a pistol. On Thursday, after completing all the legal procedures, the custody of the child was handed over to Vaishnavi's parents," a police official said.
Meanwhile, Chavan's dark history has come to light. It has been revealed that he was accused of torturing his wife. In 2019, a case was registered against him for recording objectionable videos of his wife with the help of a spy camera while having sexual intercourse with her. He was also involved in a drink-and-drive case in the Hinjawadi Police Station limits.
Mayuri Jagtap says, 'My husband is innocent'
Mayuri Jagtap, the wife of Sushil Hagawane, on Friday said her husband was innocent and being targeted unfairly. She said, “My husband is being targeted for no reason in this case. The police have also arrested him.”
She added that many people were supporting the accused earlier, which is why action was delayed.
Mayuri, who had earlier accused the Hagawane family of assaulting her, said, “If action had been taken when I filed my case, this wouldn’t have happened to Vaishnavi.”
She also said her husband should have come forward and told the truth instead of running away.
She demanded strict punishment for all those who harassed Vaishnavi, saying, “They should get life imprisonment.”
Earlier, Mayuri described the Hagawane family as "cruel" and accused her father-in-law and brother-in-law of repeated assaults. “They beat me not only at home but even on the street. Shashank knocked me down, pulled my hair, and ran off with my phone in which I had recorded a video of the abuse,” she alleged.
She also stated that her father-in-law tore her clothes and outraged her modesty during one of the assaults. “He tore my clothes and humiliated me. When I tried to lodge a complaint, I was met with resistance. Political pressure was used to suppress my case. I was even pressured with a false complaint against my maternal side,” she said.
According to Mayuri, she and her husband were forced to live separately within the same house, cooking on a stove in isolation. “We were treated like outcasts. They didn’t support us at all and didn’t even allow us to move out,” she added.
NCP-SP to launch campaign against dowry, domestic violence
NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule on Friday announced her party would launch a state-wide campaign against dowry and for a violence-free Maharashtra from June 22.
"The tragic death of Vaishnavi Hagawane due to a dowry-related incident is an event that deeply pains the heart. It is extremely infuriating that in a state which has shown the country the path to women's liberation, a daughter like Vaishnavi had to fall victim to such a fate. It is something that disturbs every sensitive individual," Sule said in a statement.
"Expressing anger and sorrow alone will not suffice; we must take a strong and active step toward awareness and change. From June 22, we are determined to launch a state-wide movement to eliminate dowry deaths and domestic violence. This will require the participation of all sections of society and all systems," she added.
Rupali Chakankar confronted
Maharashtra State Women's Commission Chairperson Rupali Chakankar was strongly confronted by Maratha activists during her visit to the residence of Vaishnavi's parents.
On Friday, as Chakankar arrived to meet the grieving Kaspate family, local activists Dhananjay Jadhav and Ashwini Khade directly questioned her handling of similar past cases involving women from the community.
"Accept that you have fallen short in getting justice for Mayuri Jagtap, Vaishnavi, and other such sisters," Jadhav and Khade demanded during the heated exchange. Urging the commission chief to step away from bureaucratic formalities and engage more actively, they declared, "Velet dive lavle aste tar hi vel aali nasati" — implying that had action been taken on time, this tragedy could have been avoided.
The NCP leader was seen visibly rattled during the heated confrontation with the activists.
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