3 men accused of attack on Anti-reservation advocate's post bail

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 26 (ANI): Three people who had been arrested for their role in the attack on Anti-reservation advocate Gunaratna Sadarvarte's car were sent to judicial custody and later granted bail by the Mazgaon Magistrate court.

All three accused were granted bail on a personal bond and cash bail of Rs 5 thousand each. The Mazgaon court further directed all the accused not to enter Mumbai without prior permission of the court.

Earlier, the defence counsel argued that all offences in this case are bailable and non cognisable and the accused are ready to co operate whenever they are called for investigation. The defence counsel said the accused should be sent to Judicial Custody and not to Police custody. Also, these persons should be allowed bail as none of these acused have any criminal anticidents.

This was opposed by the Public Prosecutor who said that one of the accused of this case is still at large so the present accused must be interrogated for the whereabouts of the wanted accused. The prosecutor also claimed that one accused who is a Sarpanch also had burnt his own vehicle in public view so investigation was required yo see if the had any intention to kill Advocate Sadavarte or if they just intended to vadalise his cars .

The court finally granted judicial custody, but the accused were permitted to post bail. 

Earlier, DCP Prashant Kadam said that an FIR has been registered against four people for vandalising the car of advocate Gunaratna Sadarvarte.

"FIR was registered against four people for vandalising the car of Advocate Sadavarte outside his residence in the Bhoiwada Police Station area. Three accused involved in vandalism are already arrested and one who was streaming the incident on Facebook is wanted" DCP Kadam had said.

Advocate Sadavarte however said that nothing will deter him for fighting for the rights of students in the open category.

"As long as there is blood in my veins, I will fight for the rights of students of the open category. I will not let the country disintegrate over caste. We say 'Jai Sri Ram', we say 'Vande Mataram'...My vehicles were vandalised today. I might be killed. But I won't step back. I won't be scared" Sadavarte told reporters in Mumbai today.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil once again started a hunger strike in Jalna, after the purported deadline of 40 days given to the state government to announce the reservation expired.

Jarange Patil said that this time the community would intensify its protest and hold chain hunger strikes and candle marches till their demand is fulfilled.

The Maratha community has been protesting for the community's inclusion on the OBC list in the state. (ANI)