Kashinath Chaudhari (Palghar Case)

Some Lesser Known Facts About Kashinath Chaudhari

• Kashinath Chaudhari was born in a middle-class Marathi family.

• He developed an interest after completing his college studies and joined the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

  

• As per his 2014 Maharashtra Legislative election affidavit, he was named as an accused under the IPC sections 395A, 353A, 427A, 109 in case No 138/2013 at P.S.Talsari, Palghar, Maharashtra.

• He also runs computer coaching classes & transportation company.

• Ahead of the local body polls in Maharashtra in December 2025, a row began after NCP(SP) leader Kashinath Chaudhari joined the BJP.

• On 16 November 2025, Chaudhari and over 3,000 supporters joined the BJP in Dahanu in the presence of MP Hemant Savara and district president Bharat Rajput.

  

• Opposition parties objected strongly because Chaudhari had earlier been linked to the 2020 Palghar lynching case. The BJP faced heavy criticism, and the party temporarily stopped Chaudhari’s membership.

• The Palghar lynching took place on 16 April 2020, when two sadhus and their driver were killed by a mob. The incident happened in Gadchinchale village where rumours of child kidnappers had circulated on WhatsApp for two weeks.

• The sadhus were travelling to Surat when villagers suspected them of being child lifters and attacked them. The incident occurred during the MVA government led by Uddhav Thackeray, and the BJP criticised the administration at that time.

• BJP leaders had earlier accused Chaudhari of being the main conspirator and claimed he was present at the spot.

• Eknath Shinde had also cited the killing of the sadhus as one of the reasons for his rebellion against the MVA. Chaudhari was questioned by the CID and later by the CBI during the investigation.

• He was never named as an accused, and the case continues in a local trial court. Chaudhari said he went to Gadchinchale in 2020 to assist the police and help control the mob.

• He said the police took him there to help save the sadhus, but the mob was too aggressive to manage. He said he fully cooperated with investigators and denied any involvement in the attack.

• He added that media reports were creating mental stress for him and his family. He said his son, staying in a Mumbai hostel, was being harassed by friends after the reports circulated.

  

• Chaudhari said he had informed district-level BJP leaders before deciding to join the party. He said some BJP members later made false allegations about him, increasing pressure on his family.

• He denied that the BJP promised him the Palghar Zilla Parishad chief post after the local elections. He said he joined the BJP to spread information about welfare schemes implemented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

• Chief Minister Fadnavis said the BJP’s local unit completed due diligence before inducting Chaudhari. As criticism increased, BJP state president Ravindra Chavan halted the membership decision.

• NCP(SP) leaders Supriya Sule and Rohit Pawar criticised the BJP for double standards regarding the lynching issue. Sule said the BJP under former leaders was different and questioned the party’s current approach.

• Rohit Pawar said the BJP had used its ‘washing machine’ and noted that the halt contradicted the CM’s earlier clean chit.

• Uddhav Sena leader Sushma Andhare said the BJP was using Hindutva as a political agenda, not a matter of faith.

• NCP(SP) leader Sunil Bhusara said the BJP was using pressure tactics to gain influence in the Palghar region.

• He said the BJP lost the Dahanu seat in 2024 and wanted Chaudhari’s support base. He asked the BJP to clarify whether its earlier allegations against Chaudhari in the lynching case were wrong.