BARAMATI: A case has been registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act at the Malegaon Police Station against Sandeep Keshav Khomane, the Tehsildar of Gevrai in Beed district, and a WhatsApp group admin from Jalgaon Supe in Baramati. The legal action follows allegations of posting offensive and casteist remarks targeting a member of the Scheduled Caste community on a messaging platform, an incident that has triggered a major stir across the Baramati taluka.

Dispute Sparked During Gram Panchayat Reservation Discussion

According to details provided by the police, a discussion regarding gram panchayat reservations was underway on a local WhatsApp group named “Aapla Gaon Aapla Vikas” (Our Village, Our Development). During the conversation, a group member named Sandeep Khandale posted text concerning a memorandum related to reservations for the Sarpanch position. The complainant alleges that during the subsequent debate, Tehsildar Sandeep Khomane made highly objectionable remarks that intentionally hurt community sentiments.

Group Admin Booked for Removing Complainant and Complicity

The formal complaint also implicates the WhatsApp group admin, Sunil Dattu Khomane. He is accused of removing the complainant from the digital forum following the argument and showing complicity in the entire matter. Based on the first information report filed by Sandeep Khandale, the Malegaon police have booked the accused under Section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), alongside multiple relevant sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, including Sections 3(1)(r), 3(1)(s), 3(1)(u), and 3(1)(za)(E).

Police Investigation Underway While Accused Remains Unreachable

The ongoing investigation into the matter is being spear-headed by Sub-Divisional Police Officer Sudarshan Rathod. Efforts were made to contact Gevrai Tehsildar Sandeep Khomane to obtain his response regarding the serious allegations. However, he could not be reached, and consequently, his official stance or side of the story remains unavailable at this time.