A day after Malegaon additional district collector Yashwant Sonawane (45) was burnt alive by the oil mafia in Nashik, his grief-stricken family demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation of the murder and the adulteration racket being operated by black-marketers.
The police, meanwhile arrested seven men in connection with the murder of the official. Expecting a fair inquiry into his death, the victim’s elder brother, Shama Sonawane, said, “We want the killers to be hanged to death within six months. We will also demand an independent CBI probe in order to speed up the investigation process and unearth the huge oil mafia racket.”
The oil mafia siphons off oil from tankers filled at Panewadi plant, near Manmad, and sells it in adulterated form. Sonawane was burnt alive in the vicinity of the plant when he intervened after noticing adulteration being carried out at a roadside dhaba on Tuesday.
“The incident is a blot on humanity. The killers should be taught a lesson so that such an act is not repeated again. My brother was a non-corrupt officer who stood against the oil mafia,” added Shama, who preferred to give an interview to this correspondent in writing after breaking into tears while talking.