Mumbai, Jul 27 (TOI): NCP member of Parliament Udayanraje Bhosale, a descendent of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was arrested by Satara police on Tuesday in a case of alleged extortion and attempt to murder. A district court granted him bail later in the day.
Bhosale's arrest evoked strong political reactions across the state and mild tension prevailed in Satara, his hometown.
A Lonand-based company owner, Rajkumar Jain, had registered a complaint with Satara police on March 22 against Bhosale and a few others. After the FIR was registered, Bhosale approached the district and sessions court and then Bombay high court to avoid arrest. Upholding the lower court's order, the high court last week rejected his anticipatory bail plea. While Bhosale has not been seen in public for nearly three months, he appeared in the city on Friday night.
On Tuesday, when the MP surrendered, the Satara police were caught on camera giving him a rousing welcome with the police inspector hugging him inside the police station. "Udayanraje surrendered on Tuesday morning... We produced him before the court, which sent him into three days of magisterial custody. His lawyer moved the bail application in the sessions court which granted him conditional bail. The next hearing of his bail application will be on August 2 in the sessions court," a senior police officer said. Bhosale was arrested under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 384 (extortion), 143, 145,147,148 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code, a senior police officer said.
While Bhosale was taken for medical check, his supporters hit the roads and shops, schools and colleges were closed. There were instances of stone pelting on buses.
The arrest has started a game of political one-upmanship. While Bhosale has distanced himself from NCP, party MLA Jitendra Awhad said the arrest was a "conspiracy". Top party leaders preferred to keep mum on the development. Support also came from the Kolhapur branch of the family. Rajya Sabha MP Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati and his supporters backed Udayanraje. While Sambhajirae is in BJP camp after the party supported his Rajya Sabha entry through nomination, Udayanraje is knocking on the BJP's doors. State revenue minister Chandrakant Patil recently said the party would welcome the Satara MP into the party-fold.
Bhosale , the 13th descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, has been embroiled in several controversies. He was arrested in 1999 in a murder case and the subsequent trial had a dramatic impact. Bhosale was then with the BJP. He was charged with the murder of one-time supporter Sharad Levhe. Subsequently, the district and sessions court acquitted him and 15 others citing lack of evidence.