Vikas Bharat Gogawale, the son of Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Bharat Gogawale, surrendered to the police in connection with a rioting case from Mahad in Raigad district, following sharp observations made by the Bombay High Court on the delay in his arrest.
The matter relates to violence that erupted on December 2 during the Mahad Municipal Council elections, when clashes allegedly broke out between supporters of rival political factions despite prohibitory orders being in place. The incident led to the registration of multiple FIRs, one of which named Vikas Gogawale and his cousin Mahesh Gogawale as accused for rioting and assault.
A sessions court had rejected their anticipatory bail applications on December 23. However, the accused remained at large for several weeks, prompting the Bombay High Court to question the effectiveness of law enforcement and express concern over whether the rule of law was being uniformly applied.
During the hearing, the state government informed the Court that efforts were being made to secure Vikas Gogawale’s appearance and assured that his family would encourage him to surrender. Taking note of these submissions, the Court fixed the matter for further consideration.
Soon thereafter, Vikas Gogawale surrendered before the police along with the other accused, bringing an end to the controversy that had drawn judicial attention to alleged lapses in police action in a politically sensitive case.
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