ABS corporator remanded to police custody

Mumbai, Mar 11: A local court today remanded Akhil Bharatiya Sena (ABS) corporator Sunil Ghate to police custody till March 16 in an extortion case.

Ghate, an associate of gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli, was arrested by the Detection Crime Branch (DCB) yesterday for his alleged invovlement in demanding extortion money from a builder from South Central Mumbai in September last year. He was produced under tight security before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, who remanded him to police custoday.

Fearing arrest, Ghate was absconding since the filing of an FIR by builder Shakeel Ahmed Qureshi with Agripada police station in September last year.

The builder, in his complaint, said that Gawli's associate had demanded Rs 20 lakh extortion money to allow him run his business smoothly.

Ghate did not not attend the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) meeting thereafter, informing the authorities through a letter that he was not keeping well.

Soon after the FIR was lodged, Gawli had also moved the Mazgaon court for an anticipatory bail, which was granted by Additional Sessions Judge Abhay Thipsay.

However, Bombay High Court had set a side lower court's order and directed City Civil and Session Court Principal Judge R R Wachha to assign the matter to another court to hear Gawli's bail application afresh.

Ghate was also wanted in the Preeti Jain case, who is alleged to have given 'Supari' (contract) to Naresh Pardeshi, a member of the Gawli gang, to eliminate film producer Madhur Bhandarkar, whom she charged with having raped her.

UNI