Sharad Pawar home attacks: Lawyer 'collected' Rs 2 crore, sent to 14 days' judicial remand

Police in a scuffle with employees of MSRTC as they protest demanding the merger of the MSRTC with the state government, outside the residence of NCP Chief Sharad Pawar`s residence. Pic/PTI

A Mumbai court on Wednesday sent MSRTC employees' lawyer Gunratan Sadavarte to 14 days' judicial custody in connection with the April 8 attack on the home of Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar, even as it was told that a financial angle had emerged in the police probe.

The prosecution also revealed the startling new financial angle in the matter besides the arrest of a Pune-based journalist who has been brought to Mumbai by the police for the investigations.

Special Public Prosecutor Pradip Gharat informed the court that contrary to the impression created by Sadavarte that he was fighting the MSRTC employees' case without fees, he had collected Rs 550 per head from the staffers which came to a staggering over Rs 2 crore.

"A witness has come forward and told the police that he himself had handed over an amount of Rs 80 lakh to Sadavarte and accordingly, Indian Penal Code Section 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant, or by banker, merchant or agent) - which can attract a maximum life sentence in jail - has been added," Gharat later told IANS.

Simultaneously, the prosecution said that Sadavarte's wife, advocate Jayshri Patil has been made a co-accused in the same case for allegedly instigating the attack and is presently reported to be incommunicado.

Police investigations have thrown up a Nagpur-based person who was present in Mumbai during the attacks, how the employees were told to gather at a garden, then messages were sent to the media persons before the violence started that evening.

Sadavarte was produced before the Girgaum Magistrate Court after his second 2-day police custody ended on Wednesday, and now he has been given 14 days' judicial custody.

With the latest developments, the number of arrests in the case have gone up to around 115, with 109 others already sent to 14 days judicial custody earlier.

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