Thane: The Thane sessions court on Wednesday, rejected a pre-arrest bail application of a leader belonging to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Balasahebanchi Shiv-Sena (BSS), his wife and a former city corporator booked in connection with the attack on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office bearer in Thane last month.
The Additional Sessions Court judge AS Bhagwat noted that the applicants are not entitled for anticipatory bail currently as it could hamper the investigation.
Earlier, on December 31, 2022 two days after the incident, the Wagle Estate police registered an FIR against ten persons including BSS leader Mr Vikas Repale, his wife and an ex-corporator for allegedly attacking BJP activist Mr Prashant Jadhav in Thane city over putting up a banner. A cross complaint was also registered against Jadhav who was injured in the attack and was sent to Thane Civil Hospital and later admitted to J J Hospital in Mumbai for further treatment.
The BSS leaders in their pre-arrest bail pleas stated that they were falsely implicated in the case over political enmity. The prosecution opposed the applications filed by the trio citing the safety of the witnesses.
Mr Jadhav’s advocate Makrand Abhyanakar also opposed the bail applications.
The court in its judgement said, “After considering the FIR, it appears the names of the applicants are prominently appearing in the FIR and specific acts of violence are attributed to them along with other people. The use of weapons like sticks, iron rods, sharp weapons has also been alleged with allegations of beating on head and private parts. The alleged offence required in depth investigation and hence a strong prima facie case is appearing against the applicants. In such circumstances, grant of anticipatory bail will hamper the investigation. The applicants are not entitled for anticipatory bail.”
