Pankaja Munde pleads court to quash case & chargesheet

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: BJP leader Pankaja Munde and Zilla Parishad member Savita Golhar requested the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court to quash the case and charge sheet filed against them by police for flouting prohibitory orders in the Covid period and creating danger for others lives.

Justice R G Avachat and Justice S A Deshmukh issued directives to serve a notice to the respondent State Government and complainant police constable Sandesh Sudam Sanap. The next hearing has been placed after six weeks. Meanwhile, the HC court has given them relief from attending the hearing of the case at Patoda court.

According to details, the organisers sought permission on October 25, 2020, about holding an online annual ‘Dussehra Melava’ with 50 participants at Sawargav Ghat (Bhagwan Bhaktigarh) which is the birthplace of Sant Bhagwan Baba.

As prohibitory orders were clamped at that time, Patoda tehsil gave permission for five persons to gather for the event.

“Despite this, BJP leader Pankaja Munde, MP Bhagwat Karad, former minister Mahadev Jankar, legislators Monica Rajale and Meghna Bordikar, former legislator Shriram Dhone, ZP member Savita Golhar, organisers of the event Sandesh Sanap, Sawargaon Ghat Sarpanch Ramchandra Sanap along with 40 to 50 flouted the prohibitory orders and Covid norms,” it was stated in the complaint.

A case was registered with Amalner Police Station in Patoda tehsil and later, a charge sheet was also filed in Patoda Court on the basis of the complaint. During the hearing on Wednesday, adv Chate informed the court that police had no power to lodge a complaint and conduct a probe in this case.