Court rejects Desai's discharge, bail plea

Pune: A special court on Tuesday rejected the discharge plea of Hindu Rashtra Sena chief Dhananjay Desai, who is facing charges for his alleged involvement in a criminal conspiracy that led to the murder of 28-year-old Mohsin Shaikh on June 2, 2014, in Hadapsar and the events preceding the murder.
The court also rejected Desai's bail plea for the third time on the grounds that there was prima facie evidence of conspiracy against him.The Bombay High Court had earlier rejected his bail application. The court of special judge J T Utpat conveyed its decision to Desai when he was produced in the court with 11 other suspects via video conferencing in the presence of special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam and defence lawyer Milind Pawar.
Pawar later filed a bail plea of suspect Rahul Kurale on the grounds of delay in commencing the trial even though the chargesheet in the case was filed two years ago, but till date no charges have been framed.
The court directed Nikam to file his say on Kurale's bail plea and fixed the matter for hearing and framing charges against Desai and others on June 24.
A mob had allegedly attacked Mohsin on June 2, 2014 when he was on his way back to his room along with his two friends after attending an evening prayer meet. He was attacked opposite Jagtap classes, Satav plots at Unnatinagar in Hadapsar around 9.15pm and left to die. He succumbed to his injuries, while his friends Amin Hasan Shaikh and Ejaj Yakub Bagwan were injured in the attack.