Mumbai, Dec 28 (IANS) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday announced strict and swift action in the gruesome crime involving a 13-year-old girl in Kalyan, saying that senior advocate Ujjwal Nikam will represent the rape-murder case in court.

Additionally, he directed the Thane Police Commissioner to ensure the charge sheet is filed within 30 days. "The victim was like my daughter. Ensuring justice for her is my responsibility. The culprits will be severely punished within four months."

On Saturday, the victim’s parents met the Chief Minister along with Mumbai BJP Vice President Amarjeet Mishra and Kalyan East MLA Sulbha Gaikwad.

During the meeting, the family shared their pain and demanded justice. The Chief Minister assured them of all possible support and emphasised that strict action would be taken against the culprits.

The Chief Minister instructed the Thane Police Commissioner to ensure that the victim’s family feels completely safe.

He said: "The family need not fear anyone. If anyone tries to harass them, strict action will be taken against them."

Fadnavis further assured that the culprits would not be able to come out of jail and would face the harshest punishment.

After the meeting, Amarjeet Mishra said: "This case is not just about one family but a matter of security and justice for all daughters. The Chief Minister’s decision to appoint an experienced advocate like Ujjwal Nikam and his directive to file the chargesheet within 30 days is a significant step towards justice."

Additionally, Amarjeet Mishra handed over a cheque of Rs 1 lakh as immediate financial assistance to the victim’s family.

Earlier on Thursday, a Special POCSO Court in Kalyan town sent Vishal Gawli and his wife Sakshi Gawli to police custody for a week till January 2 in connection with the alleged rape and murder of a 13-year-old girl who was reported missing since Monday.

Thane district was rocked by a sensational sex crime perpetrated on the girl, who had stepped out of her home to buy some provisions but then went 'missing' till her body was found on December 25 (Wednesday).

Coming nearly five months after the Badlapur sexual assault on two nursery class girls in August, this is the second case that has sparked outrage with people demanding the death penalty for the alleged perpetrators -- Vishal Gawli, 35, and his wife Sakshi Gawli, 25.

Vishal Gawli is accused of kidnapping the girl from near her home, forcibly taking her in an autorickshaw to his house, assaulting, raping, killing and then dumping her body near a cemetery in the neighbouring Bhiwandi town, nearly 8 km away.

As the girl failed to return home for several hours, the family had lodged a missing complaint and a probe had started on Monday night, with the needle of suspicion pointing at the Gawli couple after the girl's body was found.

The Thane Police formed six teams to hunt him down, but Vishal Gawli had already fled to Shegaon in Buldhana district, where his in-laws reside.

There, he was spotted in a crowded restaurant through CCTV footage buying liquor, and the Shegaon police caught up with him in a local hair-cutting salon where he had gone for a clean shave, ostensibly to conceal his identity.

--IANS

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