HC denies anticipatory bail to kin of Congress MLA

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court rejected the anticipatory bail application filed by Shankar Mhetre, brother of Congress MLA and former state minister Siddhram Mhetre, in a case related to attempting to murder a government servant. Mhetre had claimed that he was a political leader and was falsely implicated in the case due to political rivalry. Justice Mridula Bhatkar rejected Mhetre’s claim that the case was politically motivated.
“It is true that everybody is equal before law. Higher the position or the power, greater is the responsibility to respect the law and order. If a person in power violates law, then the degree of damage done to the system and the rule of law is always higher than the breach by a common man,” said Justice Bhatkar.
Additional public prosecutor Arfan Sait opposed granting the accused anticipatory bail. The advocate pointed out that the tehsildar allegedly assaulted by Mhetre was yet to resume duty due to fear.
The case is related to the raid on a bar in Akkalkot, carried out by local tehsildar Guruling Birasdar on May 9, 2015. Mhetre, who was in the bar, objected to filming of the raid. According to the prosecution, Mhetre assaulted Birasdar and tried to throttle him. The police booked Mhetre for attempt to murder and causing injuries to Birasdar.
Mhetre’s lawyers claimed that there was no evidence to substantiate the charge of attempt to murder and it could be a case of causing simple injury at the most. The HC, however, pointed out that Mhetre is also facing charge of offences against a public servant, which is non-bailable.