Bhiwandi : The Bhiwandi additional sessions court on Monday rejected the anticipatory bail plea of former BJP MLA Narendra Pawar, an accused in the gang rape of a 22-year-old woman at a farmhouse in Bapgaon, Bhiwandi taluka. Additional sessions judge N K Karande held that the allegations were serious and observed that custodial interrogation of Pawar was necessary for the investigation. Pawar had sought protection from arrest, claiming he had been falsely implicated in the case and that there was no independent or corroborative material establishing his involvement.
Pawar and dismissed police constable Shailesh Patil have been booked by Padgha police under provisions relating to gang rape and criminal intimidation, besides Sections 3 and 25 of the Arms Act. Police informed the court that the DVR from the farmhouse was missing. The complainant’s side opposed the defence’s argument regarding the delay in lodging the FIR. It was submitted that she was frightened after the alleged incident, especially since one of the accused was a dismissed police officer and a weapon was allegedly shown to her. Judge Karande observed that custodial interrogation was necessary for the medical examination and recovery of the alleged pistol, vehicle, CCTV footage from the farmhouse and Pawar’s mobile phone.
The court also noted that the FIR contained material regarding the alleged incident and that a video allegedly recorded on the complainant’s mobile phone formed part of the material before the court.