A sessions court on Thursday rejected the Khar police station’s application to cancel the anticipatory bail granted to former Republic TV journalist Pradeep Bhandari.
The offence was registered against Bhandari for obstructing public servants outside actor Kangana Ranaut’s bungalow when it was being demolished by the civic body in September last year. He had been booked for the offences under the IPC of disobedience of order promulgated by a public servant, assaulting or using criminal force on a public servant discharging his duty as well as under the Bombay Police Act.
The Khar police had approached the court shortly after the relief was granted and complained in its application to cancel his relief stating that he was not attending the police station even after summons. Further that, he had changed his address and not provided his contact number and sought that the court direct him to attend the police station till the disposal of the plea.
In his defence, Bhandari had told the court through his advocate that he had not received the summons and was a resident of Indore, MP. His mobile phone was seized by the police, he said he had no contact number to provide. The court had then directed him to attend the police station every Saturday for interrogation.
The court had early this month expressed its shock on being informed by the police that he was not attending the police station as per its orders. To this his advocate Shyam Kalyankar had submitted that Bhandari had already visited the police station 16 times by then. The court had then directed him to attend the police station on two more specific dates and directed the investigation officer to complete his investigation and submit the report before the court.
