Overview

• Akshay Shinde, accused in a Badlapur school sexual assault case, died in police custody in September 2024, with allegations of a staged encounter emerging after a magistrate’s inquiry found no evidence supporting police claims of self-defence.
• The Bombay High Court ordered an FIR against five officers and directed the formation of an SIT under Joint Commissioner Lakhmi Gautam by May 3, 2025, but the state government delayed compliance and filed a Supreme Court petition challenging the order.
• On May 5, 2025, the Supreme Court modified the High Court’s directive, allowing Maharashtra DGP Rashmi Shukla to constitute and supervise the SIT, transferring investigative authority from the CID.
• The Supreme Court emphasized the seriousness of the allegations and directed the CID to hand over all case materials to the DGP within two days, but as of May 6, no FIR has been registered against the implicated officers.
• The case has drawn attention to issues of police accountability and judicial enforcement, with courts intervening repeatedly to ensure compliance and transparency in the investigation.