3 min readMar 31, 2026 09:46 AM IST
Satara Superintendent of Police Tushar Doshi has been sent on compulsory leave to ensure a “free and fair” probe into allegations of police misconduct during the recent local body elections in the district, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said Monday.
“The Satara SP has been sent on leave. The decision was taken to ensure an impartial investigation,” Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, told reporters in Mumbai after a meeting at the police headquarters.
The move follows a political storm triggered by the Shiv Sena, led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, which accused the Satara police of manhandling its minister Sambhuraje Desai during the district president election. Shinde had termed the incident a “murder of democracy” and the Sena staged protests inside and outside the legislature during the budget session, demanding Doshi’s removal.
The controversy deepened after legislative council deputy chairperson Neelam Gorhe directed the government to suspend the SP. However, council chairman Ram Shinde later questioned whether such powers could be exercised by the deputy chairperson, leaving the directive in limbo.
Last week, Fadnavis also pushed back against legislative overreach, asserting that action against officials would be based on “ground reality” and not merely on directions from the legislature.
“Legislature can give directions, but it cannot step into the shoes of the executive. Just because directions are given does not make them the ultimate truth. Action will be taken only after verifying facts on the ground,” he said in the council last week.
The tensions come amid growing strain within the ruling alliance after the BJP outmanoeuvred its partners Shiv Sena and NCP to win the Satara district president post, despite their numerical strength. The Sena has alleged that police were used to prevent some of its members and NCP members from voting, charges that the BJP has denied.
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The development has led to sharp differences between the coalition partners Shiv Sena and BJP. To diffuse the tension a meeting took place at Speaker Rahul Narwekar’s office last week between Fadnavis and Shinde. However, Shiv Sena appeared adamant on its demand for stern action against Satara SP.
Additional superintendent of police Vaishali Kadukar has been given the charge of district police administration.
Sources said sending Doshi on leave was a middle path adopted by the government to defuse tensions, even as it stopped short of conceding to the Sena’s demand for his suspension or dismissal.
