After being in police and judicial custody for nearly 10 days, BJP MLA Nitesh Rane, who was arrested for an alleged attempt to murder case, was on Wednesday granted bail by the Sindhudurg district court.
Nitesh is the son of firebrand politician from Konkan region Narayan Rane, who is the Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in the Narendra Modi government.
The Ranes are bete noire of Maharashtra chief minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray.
The junior Rane, an MLA from Kankavli, was booked for allegedly assaulting Santosh Parab, a Shiv Sena worker.
On December 18, 2021, Parab, a Kankavli resident, had filed a police complaint alleging that he was assaulted by Nitesh.
A case was registered against him under sections 307 and 120 (B) read with 34 of the Indian Penal Code.
Nitesh’s anticipatory bail plea had been rejected by the Sindhudurg court after which he moved the Bombay High Court, from where he failed to get any relief.
He then approached the Supreme Court, which on 27 January asked Maharashtra Police not to arrest him for ten days, and directed him to appear before the court in Sindhudurg and seek regular bail. Rane surrendered before the Sindhudurg court on 31 January and was sent to two days' police custody.
Later, he was granted judicial custody.
Because of health issues, he had to be admitted Rajarshee Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Government Medical College and CPR Hospital.
According to the case, Parab was attacked during the campaigning for the Sindhudurg District Co-operative Bank elections.
The Kankavli Police lodged an FIR against Nitesh following a complaint by Parab, but the BJP legislator and his supporters claimed that he was being targeted for allegedly mocking Thackeray’s son and state environment, tourism and protocol minister Aaditya Thackeray during the winter session of Maharashtra legislature, with “meow-meow” taunt.
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