Evidence shows MLA Nitish Rane's complicity in attempt to murder case: Maha police to HC

The Maharashtra police on Thursday informed the Bombay High Court that there was ample evidence against BJP MLA Nitesh Rane to show his complicity in an attempt to murder case and said that the offence was not registered because of any mocking incident.

Special public prosecutor Sudeep Pasbola, appearing for the Kankavali police of Sindhudurg district, sought the court to dismiss Rane's application seeking pre-arrest bail in the case.

Rane had sought anticipatory bail in the case registered against him by the police last month under IPC sections 307 (attempt to murder), 120 (b) (criminal conspiracy) and 34 (common intention).

The case pertains to the alleged attack on local Shiv Sena activist Santosh Parab during a campaign for the Sindhudurg District Co-operative Bank elections.

The BJP MLA has claimed that he was being targeted by the ruling party in Maharashtra, as it felt insulted and hurt by an alleged incident of mocking outside the state legislature complex last month.

A Shiv Sena MLA had last month alleged that Rane had made 'meow meow' sounds looking in the direction of Maharashtra minister and Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray when the latter was entering the Vidhan Bhavan building in Mumbai on December 23, 2021.

Opposing Rane's plea, the Kankavali police in its affidavit stated that it was fallacious to say that the MLA was being targeted due to political reasons or because of the dharna he had held outside the Vidhan Bhavan on December 23.

The alleged incident of assault took place much before the said dharna, it said.

Pasbola on Thursday argued that if the case had been politically motivated, then the police would have arrested Rane on December 24 itself when he had appeared for questioning.

“This case has nothing to do with the incident of December 23, 2021, where the applicant reportedly mocked someone from the government,” he said.

After a probe, the police now have sufficient evidence to prove Rane's complicity in the case, he added.

“The applicant (Rane) is a politically influential person and the police are finding it difficult to record the statement of witnesses in the case,” Pasbola argued.

The police in its affidavit said that Rane has not cooperated with the investigation and even his family members have refused to disclose his whereabouts.

“The custodial interrogation of the applicant (Nitesh Rane) is necessary as the alleged offence was committed in pursuance to a criminal conspiracy hatched in secrecy and strenuous efforts are being made by the accused persons to cover up the said conspiracy,” the affidavit said.

Rane has a checkered past with five cases lodged against him, the police stated in the affidavit. “The applicant has no respect for the law and is a repeat offender,” it said.

The court has reserved its order on the application till January 17.

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