Ulhas firing case: MLA Ganpat Gaikwad, four others sent to Taloja jail

Ulhasnagar:

The Hill Line police on Wednesday produced BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad and four accomplices arrested in connection with the February 2 firing on Shiv Sena former corporator Mahesh Gaikwad in Ulhasnagar court amid heavy security. All accused were sent to Taloja jail custody.

The police had deployed heavy security cordon around the Ulhasnagar court premises, closed all shops around the court, and media was not allowed to enter the court premises. Considering the possibility of overcrowding later in the day, the police produced the five accused early morning. After the hearing, along with MLA Gaikwad, other arrested accused included MLA’s bodyguard Harshal Kene, and MLA’s close aides Sandeep Sarvankar, Vicky Ganatra, and driver Ranjit Yadav were escorted to Taloja jail.

Speaking to reporters after the hearing, advocate Nilesh Pandey, who appeared for MLA Gaikwad, said that the prosecution had sought further police custody of the accused for carrying out investigations, but the court felt the police had been given sufficient time for investigations and remanded all accused in judicial custody.

He further said the police made a “hilarious” allegation that the conspiracy was hatched by the MLA. “The first FIR was lodged by Jitendra Parikh (a partner in Fairdeal Constructions) against Mahesh Gaikwad and others for trying to demolish the construction at the disputed land at Dwarli. The police had not taken any action on that complaint. If action had been taken that time, then this kind of offence would not have taken place,” Pandey said.

According to sources, now that MLA Gaikwad and others had been granted judicial custody, their bail applications were likely to be moved in the Kalyan sessions court soon. The MLA’s son Vaibhav Gaikwad and Nagesh Badhekar continue to be absconding in the case, the police said.

On February 2, Ganpat’s son Vaibhav had come to the Hill Line police station along with party workers to file a complaint regarding the disputed land at Dawrli and at the same time, Mahesh Gaikwad, Rahul Patil, and Chainu Jadhav also reached the police station with their supporters. Later, Ganpat also came to the police station with his supporters and opened fire inside the senior police inspector’s cabin. All the accused were charged under Indian Penal Code section 307 (attempt to murder) and Arms Act.

The Hill Line police on February 3 had also registered a case under the relevant sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, and the relevant IPC sections for criminal intimidation, rioting, unlawful assembly and intentional insult to provoke breach of peace against MLA Ganpat Gaikwad, Jitendra Parikh and five others.