MUMBAI: A day after a set back to BJP MLA Nitesh Rane, when a sessions court judge in Sindhudurg denied him bail, the son of Union minister Narayan Rane on Wednesday withdrew his bail application filed before the Bombay high court and surrendered before the investigation officer in Kankavli, in an attempt to murder case.
The local Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) there then remanded him to two days’ police custody.
Rane’s counsel Satish Maneshinde informed a bench of Justice C V Bhadang at the HC that he would like to withdraw after making a statement that he would surrender before the Kankavali police station. Maneshinde said Rane wishes to participate in the investigation and though he has interim protection for about a week, he would immediately surrender, which he then did. The HC accepted the withdrawal.
Rane had immediately, after the sessions court rejected his plea for regular bail on Tuesday, filed a bail plea before the HC.
On January 27, the Supreme Court had declined to set aside a January 17 HC order denying him pre-arrest bail, but gave him 10 days to surrender and seek regular bail.
Sindhudurg sessions judge R B Rote on Tuesday had said in the facts and circumstances of the case, “for effective investigation of the offence the custodial interrogation… is necessary." He added that if Rane is granted bail, “investigation will be hampered." The court also noted “two accused are still absconding. There is a possibility of exchange of money."
On December 18, 2021, the police on Kankavali had registered an FIR where Rane and others were accused for plotting to murder a Shiv Sena leader Santosh Parab and allegedly executing the plan by co-accused knocking a four wheeler into the victim’s two wheeler and allegedly assaulting slashing his chest with a knife.
Before the sessions court, S D Desai and Maneshinde contended his “false implication" in a "classic case of political vendetta" and said injuries sited by informant were “simple" not serious to attract section 307 (attempt to murder) under Indian Penal Code against him.
On Wednesday, after his surrender, Rane was taken into judicial custody by the court and special public prosecutor Pradeep Gharat then argued for his police remand, citing the SC order and argued for proper probe his custodial interrogation was essential. He sought 10 days' PC.
The IO said, said Rane, 39, and accused number 6 (Sachin Satpute) conspired to “teach a lesson" to the informant given a photograph of the injured to him and then other accused were hired to execute the plan. He said Rane’s phone and ‘vanity van’ are required to be seized and custodial interrogation is necessary to confront him with other accused
