Woman Seeks CM Fadnavis’ Help To Bail Out Jailed Hubby In Mali

Nagpur: Nearly a year after her husband was jailed in Mali over a dispute tied to a hydropower project, Priyanka Gulhane appealed to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to intervene, saying a court-ordered bail of ₹3.25 crore remained unpaid.Her husband, Nitin Gulhane, a civil engineer from Amravati whose family resides in Dighori, remains in a Mali jail since February 25, 2025, following a meeting in Bamako related to bank guarantees linked to an electrification contract.
In a letter to CM, Priyanka said Gulhane served as deputy general manager with Aar Ess Exim Pvt Ltd (AEEPL) and was posted in Mali to oversee electrification of 22 villages under a competitive tender. "The company has taken no concrete steps to pay the bail amount," she wrote, adding repeated follow-ups yielded no result. She said she was unable to arrange the funds herself.Priyanka informed the chief minister that the matter was raised with the ministry of external affairs (MEA) and a meeting was held on September 11, 2025, in the presence of a senior official and the company's managing director. "Despite the deadline given by MEA, the company only delayed the process," she stated.Appealing for diplomatic and legal assistance, she wrote, "My husband's life, liberty and dignity depend on timely intervention," and urged authorities to "ensure diplomatic and legal assistance through appropriate govt authorities to protect my husband's life, freedom, and dignity". She also appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for immediate help.Recalling their time in Mali, she said the family spent nearly 2 years there with their first child before she returned to Nagpur in mid-2024 during the final trimester of her second pregnancy. The project, she wrote, was led by AEEPL in association with Navdurga Electronics Private Limited and Sun City Enterprises. She added her husband lost his father early and was raised by a mother who took up odd jobs to fund his education. "Since he was the eldest, he managed to get a proper education. She described the overseas assignment as a "lucrative offer" meant to secure the family's future.