Scuffle in Maharashtra Vidhan Bhavan complex: Two supporters of Awhad, Padalkar get bail

A Mumbai court has granted bail to two supporters of NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad and BJP legislator Gopichand Padalkar in connection with a case of scuffle in the Maharashtra legislature complex premises last week.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (in-charge), Esplanade court, K S Zanwar on Monday granted bail to Awhad's supporter Nitin Deshmukh and Padalkar's supporter Sarjerao Takale.

Both the accused have been released on a bail bond of Rs 25,000 each, Deshmukh's lawyer Navnath Devkate said.

The detailed order was not available yet.

On July 17, supporters of Awhad and Padalkar came to blows on the ground floor of the legislature building even as the monsoon session of the legislature was underway. The incident occurred after the two legislators were involved in a heated exchange on July 16.

The Marine Drive police on July 18 arrested Deshmukh and Takale on charges of unlawful assembly, intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace, and assault or obstructing a public servant when suppressing riots, an official earlier said.

They were produced before the court on Monday at the end of their police remand and remanded to judicial custody. Their lawyers subsequently sought bail, which the court allowed.

After the incident last week, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had expressed sadness, saying "the onus of maintaining parliamentary decorum, conduct and communication lies with us".

Takale has six criminal cases against his name and Deshmukh is named in eight cases, Fadnavis said.

Padalkar and Awhad had expressed regret in the assembly over the scuffle between their supporters.