Mumbai, Apr 20 (IANS): Hours after Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray briefed Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on the Palghar lynching case, the state government handed over its probe to the Criminal Investigation Department on Monday.

In his address to the state this afternoon, Thackeray said that five main accused and another 100 co-accused, including 9 minors, have been arrested so far.

Two 'sadhus' or monks and their driver, proceeding from Nashik to Surat, were cornered and lynched by a 200-strong mob outside Gadchinchle village on April 16 night in police presence amid rumours that they were robbers or child kidnappers.

The victims were identified the next morning as Chikne Maharaj Kalpavriksha Giri, 70, Sushilgiri Maharaj, 30, from the Juna Akhada order, and their driver Nilesh Telwade, 30.

"The incident took place around 110 km from Palghar town on the night of April 16, at Gadchinchle village, on the border with the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar-Haveli. While the adult accused are in police custody, the minors have been sent to juvenile remand home," Thackeray said.