HC grants bail to main accused

Mumbai, Feb 1 (UNI) The Bombay High Court today granted anticipatory bail to Marathi film director Ravi Naidu, main accused in the casting couch case, registered with Wanwadi police station in Pune.

A young girl had charged Naidu with repeatedly raping her between March and September last year. She has also alleged that Naidu had presented her to actor Ramesh Bhatkar, builder and financier of a forthcoming Marathi film Ashok Londhe and Bhagwan Vairat, a Congress activist from Pune, and they too attempted to take disadvantage of her vulnerability.

Bhatkar, Londhe and Vairat had obtained anticipatory bail from Pune Sessions Court. Naidu had moved High Court to prevent arrest as the Sessions Court had refused to grant him bail.

A single judge bench of Justice D G Karnik today allowed Naidu's application and directed Wanwadi police to release him on a bail bond of Rs 15,000 in case of his arrest.

UNI XR OBB RSA KP2056