Special Correspondent
Pune : In a sudden administrative move, the Maharashtra Government has transferred Inspector General of Police (Prisons) Jalindar Supekar to the post of Additional Director General of the Maharashtra Home Guards, amid serious allegations of pressure tactics in the ongoing Vaishnavi Hagavane suicide case.
Supekar, who was serving as IG (Prisons and Correctional Services) for the Pune region, has been accused of using his official influence to aid Shashank Hagavane—one of the key accused in the case and reportedly Supekar’s nephew. Allegations suggest that Supekar facilitated the issuance of a firearm license for both Shashank and his relative Sushil Hagavane, raising serious ethical and legal questions.
The Home Department of Maharashtra issued the transfer order on Thursday under Section 22N of the Maharashtra Police Act, 1951. The order, signed by Under Secretary Sandeep Dhakane, states that the transfer is being executed “for administrative reasons” and with the approval of the competent authority. The order is also aligned with the recommendations of the Establishment Board No. 1. Jalindar Supekar’s additional charge as IG (Prisons) for Nashik, Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad), and Nagpur has also been revoked. This revocation came just a day before the revelation that firearm licenses had been issued to the accused through documents signed under Supekar’s authority. The timing of this development and the swift bureaucratic action suggest mounting pressure on the state machinery to act against alleged misuse of power.
Sources within the police department confirm that Supekar’s transfer was “hastily executed” after the controversy intensified and media reports began drawing public attention to his alleged role. While the official order avoids directly linking the transfer to the Vaishnavi Hagavane case, senior officials privately admit that the decision was driven by the sensitive nature of the allegations and the public outcry surrounding the case.
Vaishnavi Hagavane, a young woman from Pune, died by suicide under circumstances that her family alleges stemmed from prolonged domestic abuse by her in-laws, including her husband Shashank Hagavane. The case has gained widespread media coverage, especially after it emerged that high-ranking police officials may have been shielding the accused.
The transfer of IG Supekar adds another layer of complexity to the case, which is already being closely monitored by women’s rights organizations and civil society. Activists have demanded a judicial probe into the alleged institutional support provided to the accused and the possible misuse of police powers.
