BMC Councillor Ghate sent to judicial custody till April 29

Mumbai, Apr 21 (UNI) Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) judge Ashok Bhangale today granted judicial custody till April 29 to BMC Councillor Sunil Ghate arrested under MCOCA in an extortion case.

Ghate who was arrested on April 15 under MCOCA was in the police custody till April 29. However, prosecution today informed the court that investigating agency did not require his further police custody and sought his judicial custody.

As sought by the prosecution the court also granted judicial custody to another accused Raja Khadvilkar arrested in the same case to April 29. Third accused Sadanand Panchal arrested on last Saturday is still in the police custody.

Last year, businessman Shakil Qureshi had registered a complaint against gangster turned politician and MLA from Chinchpokli Arun Gawli and his aides that they had demanded Rs 18 lakh from him for mediating a dispute between him and his business partner Rajendra Doshi.

Police earlier booked them under Indian Penal Code (IPC) and in last week obtained approval from the Joint Commissioner of Police to apply MCOCA against Gawli and his three associates in this case.

Police had already arrested three co-accused --Sunil Ghate, Sadanand Panchyal and Rajendra Sadvilkar under MCOCA.

However, Gawli moved Bombay High Court challenging the police for slapping MCOCA on him which will be heard on May two. The court had given interim relief to him by ordering not to arrest him till then.

Gawli and other aide Sanjay Girkar are wanted accused in this case.

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