BJP MLA Nitesh Rane refused anticipatory bail by Bombay High Court

He claims he has been falsely implicated in attempt to murder case

Nitesh Rane. File

The Bombay High Court on Monday rejected anticipatory bail to Maharashtra BJP MLA Nitesh Rane in an alleged attempt to murder case.

A single bench of justice C.V. Bhadang also refused relief to another accused Sandesh alias Gotya Sawant but granted bail to co-accused Manish Dalvi.

Mr. Rane’s advocate Niteen Pradhan requested the court to extend his protection from arrest for another week. The court then asked special public prosecutor Sudeep Pasbola if the State was willing, to which he said

the assurance given before of not taking any coercive action against Mr. Rane will continue till January 27, only as last chance.

The court also directed Mr. Dalvi to surrender his passport and said he cannot leave Sindhudurg district till further orders. He will also have to visit the investigating officer on January 20, 21 and 22.

The court was hearing Mr. Rane’s plea seeking pre-arrest bail after a local court in Sindhudurg district quashed his anticipatory bail on December 31. As per his petition, “He has been falsely implicated and targeted by the ruling party in Maharashtra [Shiv Sena] and there is no evidence against him in this case.”

A case was registered against Mr. Rane after a Kankavli resident named Santosh Parab, 44, had filed a police complaint claiming he was assaulted by certain persons linked with the Kankavli MLA. The incident took place in December during the campaigning for the Sindhudurg District Co-operative Bank elections.

Mr. Rane is the son of Union Minister Narayan Rane and has been charged with Sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 34 (common intention) of the IPC.