Court rejects Desai’s bail plea in Mohsin Shaikh case

PUNE: Hindu Rashtra Sena (HRS) chief

Dhananjay Desai

’s fourth attempt to secure his release on bail in the Mohsin Shaikh murder case was unsuccessful after additional sessions judge

R N Sardesai

rejected his bail application on Thursday.

District government pleader

Ujjwala Pawar

confirmed the development though she said a detailed court order was expected later. Desai had moved the bail plea, citing change of circumstances after the Bombay high court stayed the trial against him on December 19, 2017.

His lawyer Milind Pawar said, “We also brought to the court’s notice that Desai has been in the jail for too long when most other accused in the case are out on bail. Besides, police have filed a chargesheet in the case and there has been an inordinate delay in the framing of charges by the trial court.”

Some of the high court’s observations on April 13, 2017 while admitting, for final hearing,

Desai

’s criminal revision petition against the Pune court’s rejection of his plea for discharge from the case, were cited in support of grant of bail.

However, the district government pleader opposed the plea and submitted that the high court’s observations cannot be taken into consideration at this stage. Moreover, Desai’s bail pleas filed before and after his arrest were rejecsted by the trial court and the high court too rejected his bail plea. Even a provisional bail on health grounds was rejected, she submitted.

IT professional Mohsin Shaikh was killed by a mob in

Hadapsar

on June 2, 2014 in the violence after a social media post. The Hadapsar police arrested Desai and 20 others between June 2 and 10, 2014, for criminal conspiracy, murder and other charges.

Desai is accused of instigating violence through speeches on January 19, 2014 at Manjari and on March 17 at

Loni Kalbhor

.

The trial before a Pune court is at the stage of framing of charges. Eighteen of the 21 accused are out on bail.


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