**Mumbai Court Remands Upendra Pawaskar in Statue Defacement Case**
Mumbai: A Mumbai court on Thursday remanded Upendra Pawaskar, who was arrested for allegedly defacing a statue of the late Meenatai Thackeray — wife of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray — to police custody till September 20.
### Police Seek Time to Ascertain Motive
During the court hearing, police informed that they require additional time to determine the motive behind the act, which is reportedly committed by a person described as being of “unsound mind.”
### Property Dispute Angle Explored
According to sources, during police interrogation, Pawaskar claimed involvement in a property dispute with one of his relatives, who is reportedly a personal bodyguard of Uddhav Thackeray. Authorities suspect that a combination of personal and political grievances may have motivated the incident.
Sources also indicate that Pawaskar has exhibited signs of mental instability, which is currently under evaluation by experts.
### Arrest Made Through CCTV Footage
The Shivaji Park Police identified Pawaskar from CCTV footage and apprehended him on Wednesday night from Khed Galli in Dadar. He was subsequently produced before the court on Thursday.
The paint can allegedly used in the defacement has not yet been recovered.
### Need for Further Investigation
Prosecutors argued for extended custodial interrogation to further probe the motive and trace missing evidence related to the case. Following these submissions, the court granted police custody until September 20.
### Accused’s Past Record Revealed
Police sources further disclosed that Pawaskar has a prior criminal record that includes assault charges registered at the Dadar Police Station, along with several non-cognizable offenses.
### Mental Health Concerns
Authorities stated that Pawaskar has been living alone in the Dadar area for many years and is believed to be “mentally unsound.” His mental health status remains under close observation.
—
*For exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai and surrounding regions, visit [Budget Properties](https://budgetproperties.in/).*
https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/mumbai-court-remands-accused-in-police-custody-until-september-20-for-defacing-meenatai-thackeray-statue