Missing RTI activist Vinayak Sirsat found murdered

NP NEWS 24 ONLINE: PUNE: About 14 days after he was kidnapped, RTI activist Vinayak Sirsat (32), who was also the vice president of Republican Bandhkam Kamgaar Sena of the Republican Party of India (Athawale) (RPI-A), was found murdered on Lavasa Road on Tuesday morning.

His kin had lodged a missing report on January 31. Later on February 5, an FIR for kidnapping was registered by Sirsat’s father Sudhakar Sirsat (52) with the Bharati Vidyapeeth police station, Pune city police.

According to police, in the last three years using RTI Sirsat had obtained information against developers for their alleged illegal constructions in Jambhulwadi, Narhe, Uttamnagar and Shivne. Based on his complaints, the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) and Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) had taken against 72 projects of builders in the area. Sirsat knew the functioning of builders as he used to take plastering contracts at construction sites.

On January 30, he went to a building site in Jambhulwadi. His father received a call from Sirsat’s driver asking for Rs 15 lakhs on the instructions of Sirsat. However, his phone was switched off.