1993 riots case: Bailable warrant against retired policeman

Mumbai, May 31 (UNI) A special court here today issued a bailable warrant against retired police inspector Madhav Khanolkar, one of the prime witnesses in the 1993 riots case involving Shiv Sena leader Madhukar Sarpotdar and five others.

The warrant was issued after Khanolkar, who was police inspector at Nirmal Nagar police station at the time of the incident, failed to appear before the court despite summons being issued to him.

Public prosecutor Mohan Kadam told the special court of judge Rajshri Bapat Sarkar that deposition of the retired officer is necessary to throw more light on the crime and, so, his presence in the court was necessary. However, the defence counsel raised objections and said that if the officer cannot present himself before the court, the proceedings could continue with other witnesses.

After hearing both the sides, the court issued the warrant directing Khanolkar to appear on June 6 and adjourned further hearing till that date.

In this case, the witnesses who had earlier deposed before the court, had turned hostile. One police constable, Pandurang Tayde, had even claimed before the court that he was suffering from a memory lapse and could not recollect the incident. Tayde had then been assigned the duty of making diary notings of all political activities in Nirmal Nagar.

According to the prosecution case, on December 27, 1992, Sarpotdar a former MP, had addressed a gathering of Shiv Sainiks and made a provocative speech that had sparked violence. A case of rioting was filed against six people.

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