Bombay HC grants interim protection to ex-BJP MLA in disproportionate assets case
India Today
The Bombay High Court on Friday granted interim protection to ex-BJP MLA, Narendra Mehta in the disproportionate assets case against him.
The Bombay High Court on Friday granted interim protection from arrest to former BJP MLA from Mira Bhayandar constituency Narendra Mehta and his wife in the disproportionate assets case against them. This comes after the Thane sessions court had rejected their anticipatory bail on Thursday.
According to the prosecution, Narendra Mehta had misused his position as a member of the municipal corporation and the MLA of Mira Bhayandar constituency and acquired properties worth Rs 14.79 crore in his name and as well as under his wife’s name between January 2006 to August 2015.
“During this period, the total expenditure of both Mehta and his wife was Rs 10.42 crore. In the probationary period of enquiry against both the accused it was revealed that they acquired properties which were Rs 8.25 crore more than their known sources of income," said the prosecution.
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Additional sessions judge RR Kakani said that the allegations made against Mehta and his wife appear to be serious in nature. The judge said, “In a case like this, effective interrogation of a suspected person is of tremendous advantage in discovering useful information and materials which would have been concealed.”
Kakani further said facing such interrogation would elude the falsity if the suspected person knows that he is not well protected by a pre-arrest bail. “Very often interrogation in such a condition would reduce to a mere ritual. In short, unless there is custodial interrogation there won't be further progress in the investigation," added Kakani.
The Thane sessions court while rejecting the couple's anticipatory bail application on Thursday said that Mehta's history of non-cooperative behaviour shows that if bail was granted to him, he would not show up or cooperate with the investigation. The court further said that there is a likelihood of Mehta threatening the complainant or witnesses as he is an influential personality in society. "He failed to appear before police authorities even after he was summoned repeatedly, suggesting that he does not obey procedure," added the court.
