Special Correspondent
Pune : In a significant development in the Vaishnavi Hagavane dowry death case, key accused Nilesh Chavan has been remanded to police custody until June 3. Chavan, who had been absconding since May 21, was recently apprehended near the Nepal border and brought to Pune late last night. He was presented before the court this morning, which ordered his remand.
Chavan faces charges for threatening the family members of the deceased, Vaishnavi Hagavane, when they had gone to take custody of her child. He allegedly subjected his wife to inhuman mental and physical torture, including recording objectionable videos. Following these acts, he had gone underground, evading arrest for several days.
His arrest from Maharajganj district along the Nepal border was made possible through a combined operation by seven special teams formed by the Pimpri-Chinchwad police. The operation involved technical surveillance, informant inputs, and CCTV footage analysis. During his time on the run, Chavan avoided using his phone and ATM card to stay under the radar.
Police have also begun scanning WhatsApp chats and messages from the mobile phones of other accused involved in the case. With Chavan’s arrest, the investigation has gained momentum. Sources confirm that he was in contact with Shashank Hagavane—the brother of the deceased—on the day of Vaishnavi’s death.
It has also come to light that Nilesh Chavan was a close associate of Vaishnavi’s sister-in-law. Following his arrest, he underwent a medical examination before being produced in court.
The police are now intensifying their efforts to trace and investigate the remaining accused in the case.
