Mohsin Sheikh murder

The Mohsin Sheikh murder was the lynching of Mohsin Shaikh in Pune on 2 June 2014.[1][2] Communal tensions followed public awareness of derogatory photographs of Maratha king Shivaji and Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray uploaded to social media. Public buses were vandalized and arrests were made.[2] The uploads were made through foreign proxy servers traced to sources in India.[2][3][4] Home minister R R Patil said authorities know who uploaded the images and that Mohsin was innocent and died in the riots. The Government of Maharashtra announced compensation to his family.[4] Before this, Nikhil Tikone of Kasba Peth was targeted by Hindus as photo of him spreaded via whatsapp saying him as "Nihal Khan" during communal tensions. Muslims too attacked him believing that he was associated with RSS.[5][6]

Part of a series on
Violence against Muslims
in independent India
Major incidents

Victim

Mohsin Mohammed Sadique Shaikh was an IT professional working as an IT manager for a private textile firm. He was attacked and killed while returning after prayer from Unnati Nagar.[7] Police made arrests including the leader[8] of Hindu Rashtra Sena (HRS), a Hindutva group, for their alleged role in the incident.[9][10] In 2023, a court in Pune acquitted all members of Hindu Rashtra Sena accused of lynching of Mohsin Sheikh.[11]

Reaction

Dhananjay Jayram Desai, the founder president of Hindu Rashtra Sena (HRS) denied that his outfit had anything to do with the murder and said, "We understand that circulating derogatory pictures is a cyber crime but the problem cannot be solved by killing innocent persons.".[12][13]

Rajya Sabha MP and Congress leader Hussain Dalwai on 1 July 2014 alleged that police officers investigating the Mohsin Shaikh murder case were trying to cover it up, and they should be dismissed. "The Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan assured us that government will make the investigation into this unfortunate incident a priority. We were also told that the organisation behind this ghastly act and the people involved in spreading communal disharmony will be taught a lesson," he added.[14][15][16][17][18][19]

False accusations on Desai

In March 2015 the Bombay high court denied bail to Desai, maintaining that the prosecution had rightly stated that Desai had instigated the unrest to satisfy his vendetta against a community. The judge noted most of the rioters were young men. The High Court maintained that a witness' claim that a plan had been hatched to attack members of a community as directed by Desai was sufficient to deny bail.[20] Desai was granted bail on 17 January 2019.[21] He and all other accused in lynching of Sheikh were ultimately acquitted in 2023.[11] He accused that government falsely arrested him because of political vendetta against him.[22]

References
  1. "Meet Bhai, man who heads Hindu group blamed for techie's murder". The Indian Express. June 6, 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  2. "Techie death: Pune police may seek ban on outfit". The Hindu. June 6, 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  3. "Techie Murder: FB Posts Uploaded From Foreign IP Addresses". Outlook. June 6, 2014.
  4. Chittaranjan Tembhekar; Mateen Hafeez (June 9, 2014). "Those behind inflammatory Facebook posts identified: R R Patil". Times of India.
  5. "Had to circulate video saying I am a Hindu, not linked to FB posts". The India Express. Jun 12, 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
  6. "पुणे: मुस्लिमों ने आरएसएस वाला समझकर पीटा, हिंदुओं ने बताया 'निखिल खान'". DainikBhaskar. Jun 11, 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
  7. "Pune techie murder case: Another man was attacked by same gang the night Mohsin was killed". The Times of India. Jun 6, 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  8. "Founder of HRS charged with Pune techie's murder". The Hindu. 11 June 2014.
  9. "25 people held in Pune techie murder case". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on June 7, 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  10. "Techie dies after attack by Hindutva group". The Hindu. 4 June 2014.
  11. "Hindu outfit leader, 21 others acquitted in 2014 murder case of Pune IT professional". Hindustan Times. 2023-01-27. Retrieved 2023-03-15.
  12. "Pune: Muslim techie killed by rightwing mob over morphed FB posts". Firstpost. 2014-06-04. Retrieved 2014-06-20.
  13. "Dhananjay Desai arrested for Pune muslim techie's murder, HRS alleges political conspiracy". June 10, 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
  14. "Dalwai alleges cover-up in Pune techie murder case". Business Standard. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  15. "Pune techie murder". NDTV. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
  16. "Pune Techie Murder Case: 21 Men Linked to Hindu Rashtra Sena Sent to Judicial Custody". NDTV. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
  17. "Pune Techie Murder Case: Hindu Rashtra Sena Chief Named as Accused". NDTV. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  18. "Pune Techie Murder: Maharashtra Government Mulling Ban on Hindu Rashtra Sena". NDTV. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  19. "Police Claim Pune Techie's Murder Linked to Controversial Facebook Posts, 13 Arrested". NDTV. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  20. "Hindu Sena leader took advantage of poverty in society: Bombay HC". Times of India. 2015-03-29. Retrieved 2015-03-29.
  21. "Pune Techie murder case: Hindutva leader Dhananjay Desai walks out of jail | Pune News - Times of India". The Times of India.
  22. "'सरकारने सोयीचे आरोपी शोधले होते'; निर्दोष मुक्ततेनंतर देसाईंची पहिली प्रतिक्रिया | Mohsin Shaikh Murder Case". eSakal - Marathi Newspaper (in Marathi). Retrieved 2023-03-15.
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