RTI activist says he faked attack

Injured activist withdraws case claiming unstable mind, says family and he are under tremendous pressure

Injured activist withdraws case claiming unstable mind, says family and he are under tremendous pressure

RTI activist Arun Mane's assault case took a surprising turn after Pune Rural Police announced that Mane staged attack on himself and that he inflicted injuries on his head, chest and stomach on Sunday morning.

According to Pune Rural Police, he submitted an affidavit withdrawing the case and attributed his earlier
complaint to his unstable state of mind and tremendous emotional pressure.

Superintendent of Police Pratap Dighavkar said, "We have come to a conclusion that Mane inflicted injuries on himself. He has given an affidavit saying he has lost his emotional balance. Circumstantial evidence has also confirmed the same."

Didn't read affidavit
When MiD DAY contacted Mane, he said, "On Tuesday afternoon I went to Talegaon-Dabhade police station and informed Senior Police Inspector Sanjay Nikam that I wanted to close the matter. He took me to Deputy Superintendent Shrikrishna Kokate's office where I submitted the application saying that I wanted to
withdraw case. The police officers took me Vadgaon where I signed the affidavit in front of Tehsildar of Maval."
Mane however said, "I did not read the affidavit before signing it." He refused to comment on why he resorted to taking this step and did not clarify if he indeed injured himself. "I will not comment on this. I will only say that my family members and me are under tremendous pressure. Truth will prevail." On January 2, 36-year-old Mane claimed that an unidentified man attacked him with an unknown weapon in his shop, Surabhi Footwear, at Jijamata chowk.

But police investigations indicated that considering the place was not well lit, Mane would have been unable a provide a proper description of his attacker. Police confiscated the tool, by which he claimed he was attacked, from his shop.

According to the police the shoe boxes kept in his shop were intact and it did not seem like an attack had taken place in the shop. Talegaon Police took Dr Waghmare to the spot where the offense took place. In his report, he said that the injuries on his body and blood stains on his shirt did not match. Dr Waghmare said that injuries were made when Mane was not wearing that shirt.

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