Mumbai: Thackeray-faction leader who celebrated underworld don Chhota Rajan's birthday gets bail

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) faction official Nilesh Paradkar, 47, who was arrested by the Tilak Nagar police late on Saturday, has been granted bail by the Bhoiwada court on a bond of Rs25,000 on Sunday. Mr Paradkar cut a cake and burst firecrackers on Jan 13 to celebrate underworld don Chhota Rajan's birthday. A video of the cake cutting went viral on social media after which Mr Paradkar, who is in the construction business and has 14 cases registered against him, was arrested for “disturbing social peace”.

The police told the court that Mr Paradkar celebrated Rajan's birthday by gathering 12-15 people and cutting a cake which had the latter's photo on it. The video of the incident has background audio stating, “I (Chhota Rajan) am not afraid of Dawood or Chhoto Shakeel and have been fighting with them since 1993.” The police told the court that by doing this, the accused wanted to spread terror in the area.

Police sought Mr Paradkar's custody, to which his lawyer Hemant Ingale told the court that the IPC sections under which he was arrested attract punishment of less than seven years, so the police should have served him a notice to appear instead. But Mr Paradkar was called to the police station and was arrested without any notice. The judge asked the Tilak Nagar police officer about the notice, to which he replied that the notice had not been given.

The Bhoiwada court then granted bail to Paradkar with certain conditions. Mr Paradkar will have to visit the Tilak Nagar police station for seven days between 11am and 1pm and also submit his passport. He will also have to visit the police station whenever summoned.