SC Denies Anticipatory Bail to Nitesh Rane, Asks To Surrender And Apply For Regular Bail
The Supreme Court Bench comprising of Chief Justice NV Ramana, Justice A. S. Bopanna and Justice Hima Kohli has refused anticipatory bail to BJP MLA Nitesh Rane and directed him to surrender before the Trial Court and apply for regular bail. However, he has been granted 10 days protection from arrest by the Court.
Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi appearing for Nitesh Rane submitted in the Court that, "It is a completely bogus case". He also argued that, "I am being trapped because I am a two-time MLA".
Rohatgi submitted that, "The conspiracy is to kill the man with a paper cutter at 11 am in public and what is charged against me is Attempt to Murder!"
He submitted that two other people along with Rane have applied for anticipatory bail in the High Court of which one has been granted anticipatory bail and Rane and one Sawant have been denied.
Rane has been refused bail in the High Court on the ground that there are 5 criminal cases against him, Rohatgi submitted.
Senior Advocate A. M. Singhvi appeared for the State of Maharashtra and submitted that the phone records that have been seized point out that there was a regular communication before the day of the attack and also on the day of the attack between the accused and that the victim had identified one accused when the Test Identification Parade was conducted.
Nitesh Rane moved the Supreme Court for grant of anticipatory bail challenging the order passed by the Bombay High Court.
The Bench led by the Chief Justice of India had agreed to hear the matter after it was mentioned in the court by Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi on Tuesday.
The son of Union Minister Narayan Rane has been accused of being the mastermind behind the alleged attempt to murder a member of Shiv Sena last year in Maharashtra.
The anticipatory bail plea was rejected by the Bombay High Court and Sindhudurg Sessions Court.
A Single Bench of the Bombay High Court had allowed bail application of the third accused in the case, Manish Dalvi while those of Rane and one Sandesh Sawant were rejected.
