The Gujarat High Court Monday rejected the bail plea of Trinamool Congress spokesperson Saket Gokhale in a case related to alleged misuse of money collected through crowdfunding during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The court said the petitioner can apply for bail once the chargesheet is filed in the case. He was arrested by the Ahmedabad police on December 29 and is currently in judicial custody.
Advocate Asim Pandya, appearing for the Trinamool leader, informed the court that Mr. Gokhale is suffering from multiple ailments and required up to 14 medicines daily.
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He submitted that Mr. Gokhale was earlier a full-time RTI activist and social worker, and had disclosed during his crowdfunding campaign that the money was required for running the campaign as well as for sustaining himself.
He denied the charges levelled by the police that he had misused the funds on personal expenses.
“When he joined Trinamool Congress, he stopped the campaign to show the bonafide,” Mr. Pandya said. He added that all incomes were reflected in the bank accounts of Mr. Gokhale which were audited and income tax paid. Nothing was recovered from him after the court sent Mr. Gokhale to police custody for five days.