Bail granted to Prithviraj Chavan and Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil in Nagpur

A Nagpur court has granted bail to former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and state minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil in connection with a case relating to a Congress protest held at Samvidhan Square in 2017.

Chavan and Vikhe Patil appeared in person before the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) court on Monday to submit their bail applications. After hearing the submissions, Judge N N Chintamani allowed the applications, granting bail upon a cash payment of Rs 5,000 each and a personal bond of Rs 15,000 each.

The case originates from September 26, 2017, when the Congress party organised a protest at Samvidhan Square against rising prices of essential commodities including fuel and cooking gas. The police stated that after speeches by senior leaders concluded and a party delegation proceeded to submit a memorandum to the administration, approximately 50 to 70 protesters allegedly violated the terms of the protest permission by moving towards the main entrance of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

According to police allegations, some protesters engaged in a scuffle with personnel while attempting to enter the RBI premises. Some climbed the iron gate, while others staged a sit-in on the road causing traffic disruption. The protesters also raised slogans against the Central and state governments and reportedly burnt an effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Sadar Police registered a case against six Congress leaders: Prithviraj Chavan, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, MLA Vikas Thakre, Maharashtra Congress secretary Umakant Agnihotri, former corporator Prashant Dhawad, and Pragya Badwaik.

The accused were booked under Sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 149 (offence committed in prosecution of common object), 341 (wrongful restraint), 332 (causing hurt to deter a public servant from duty), and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of duty) of the Indian Penal Code, along with Section 135 of the Maharashtra Police Act.

Police subsequently filed a chargesheet before the court.