Nitesh Rane moves SC against denial of anticipatory bail in attempt to murder case

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, January 25

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Nitesh Rane—a BJP MLA in Maharashtra and son of Union Minister Narayan Rane—has moved the Supreme Court challenging the January 17 Bombay High Court order rejecting his anticipatory bail plea in an attempt to murder case.

A Bench led by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana on Tuesday agreed to hear his petition after Senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi alleged on his behalf that it was a case of political rivalry.

“Upon being mentioned by Mr. Mukul Rohatgi, learned senior counsel for the petitioner, we deem it appropriate to direct the Registry to list the matter on 27.01.2022 before an appropriate Bench,” the top court said in its order.

Rane is accused of being the mastermind behind the attempt on the life of a Shiv Sena member on December 18 last year in the Kankavli area of Maharashtra.

The Sindhudurg Sessions Court and the Bombay High Court had rejected his anticipatory bail plea. The Maharashtra government had assured that no coercive action would be taken against Rane till January 27, 2022 in order to enable him to approach the Supreme Court.

Rane had submitted before the Bombay High Court that the FIR against him was because he had mocked Shiv Sena leader and State Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray and that the FIR was registered with the sole aim of preventing his participation in the December 30, 2021, Sindhudurg Co-operative Bank district elections.

The state police contended that they had circumstantial evidence to support their case and they needed Rane’s custody to complete the probe.