HC denies bail to Maha BJP MLA & Narayan Rane’s son
The Bombay High Court denied anticipatory bail to Maharashtra BJP MLA and Union Minister Narayan Rane's son Nitesh Rane in an alleged attempted murder case on Monday. After hearing Nitesh Rane's and others' pre-arrest bail applications, a single bench of HC justice C.V. Bhadang denied relief to another accused, Sandesh alias Gotya Sawant, while granting bail to co-accused Manish Dalvi. Dalvi's name is not mentioned in the case's complaint. Nitesh has been charged under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 120-B (conspiracy), and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code. Nitesh has been identified as a key conspirator in the attempted murder of Shiv Sena leader Santosh Manohar Parab, who was hit from behind by a car on December 18, 2021, while riding his motorcycle home in Kankavali, Sindudurg district, Ranes' political stronghold. According to the prosecution's case, a conspiracy was hatched in which one Sachin Satpute was tasked with "assaulting and criminally intimidating the complainant/injured." Satpute (A6) and accused Sneha Chavan, Dnyaneshwar @ Mauli, who were part of the conspiracy, with the help of Dhiraj Jadhao, Sachin Satpute's bodyguard. Both Nitesh and Gotya Sawant are accused of hatching the plot to assassinate Parab. The Prosecution, for example, objected to anticipatory bail being granted to Nitesh and Gotya Sawant on the grounds that there were all five cases against Applicant number one (Nitesh) and 26 cases against Applicant number two (Gotya Sawant). The prosecution also informed the court that Nitesh was arrested by Kankvali police under Sections 353, 332, 342, 324, 147, 143, 148, 149, 323, 504, 506, 109, and 120-B of the IPC, as well as Section 3 of the Damage to Public Property Act. Niteen Pradhan, Nitesh's senior counsel, asked the court to extend his client's protection from arrest for another week so that they could plan their next steps. However, Special Public Prosecutor Sudeep Pasbola informed the court that there was no interim protection in place before the Sessions Judge or this Court in favour of the Applicants. However, the Investigating Officer stated that no coercive or precipitate steps would be taken against the Applicants while the application was pending before this Court. The Special Public Prosecutor also assured the high court that, after receiving specific instructions, the Investigating Officer's assurance would be extended until January 27. Meanwhile, while granting bail to co-accused Manish Dalvi, the high court ordered him to appear at the Kankavli police station between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on January 20, 21, and 22, 2021, and thereafter "as and when called by the Investigating Officer." The high court ordered Dalvi to surrender his passport, if he had one, to the investigating officer and not to leave Sindhudurg District without first informing the investigating officer, until further orders. The court also ordered him to cooperate with the investigating agency and not to contact or influence witnesses directly or indirectly, or to tamper with prosecution evidence.