Court Acquits MLA Tukaram Kate in 2009 BMC Headquarters Incident

MLA Tukaram Kate, his wife, and others were acquitted in a 2009 case involving a scuffle at the BMC headquarters. The court cleared all 14 accused, citing a lack of evidence and concluding the damage caused was accidental and unintentional. The incident stemmed from water shortage frustrations.

An Indian court has acquitted MLA Tukaram Kate, his wife Mangala Kate, and 12 others in a 2009 case related to a disturbance and damage to public property at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters.

The judgment, delivered by Additional Sessions Judge Satyanarayan R Navander on December 18, cleared all 14 accused due to insufficient evidence.

The incident, which took place during a severe water shortage in the Panjrapol and Chembur areas, began when then-corporator Mangala Kate and her husband led a protest demanding a resolution from BMC Hydraulic Engineer Dinesh Gondalia. According to the prosecution, the protest turned violent after an unsatisfactory response, but the court found that the damage was accidental and unintentional.