Overview
- Tushar Apte’s appointment as a co‑opted councillor in the Kulgaon‑Badlapur Municipal Council was confirmed by the council chair during the selection of five nominees.
- Apte resigned within a day of being named, saying he did not want to harm the party’s image after state leaders stepped in following public criticism.
- Apte is accused under Section 21(2) of the POCSO Act for allegedly failing to report the 2024 school assaults; he was arrested after more than 40 days, granted bail within 48 hours, and the case is pending in the Kalyan district and sessions court.
- Opposition and allied leaders condemned the nomination, with NCP’s Supriya Sule, Shiv Sena figures, and Congress criticizing the decision, and the MNS threatening protests in Badlapur.
- The underlying case centers on janitor Akshay Shinde, arrested in August 2024 and killed in a contested police encounter in September, a development that has fueled sustained public scrutiny.