The Amravati Police on Saturday visited MLA Ravi Rana's residence at Khar in Mumbai to serve him a bailable warrant issued by the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court. Sources said the warrant was issued this week as the MLA had failed to respond to the notice issued to him by the Bombay High Court. The warrant calls upon Rana to be present before the court on Monday. Elections for 10 seats of the Maharashtra Legislative Council are to be held on Monday, in which the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance is facing off in a tense electoral battle with the BJP. Rana, an independent legislator, is a known supporter of the BJP. However, Amravati Police could not serve the warrant as they could not find Rana at his residence. Soon after the visit by the police team, Rana released a video in which he said Amravati Police were in Mumbai to arrest him. "But as I was not present at home, they could not arrest me. This is a conspiracy by the Maha Vikas Aghadi government to ensure that I can't vote for BJP," said Rana. According to Amravati Police, Rana has been booked under sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 353 (assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty) after three woman allegedly threw ink on Amravati Municipal Commissioner Pravin Ashtikar in February this year. A senior police officer from Amravati Police said, "It is a bailable warrant, in which he has been asked to appear before the court on Monday. The warrant was issued in the criminal case in which ink was thrown on the Amravati municipal commissioner." On June 13, Justice Anil S Kilor of the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court had issued a bailable warrant of Rs 15,000 against Rana. Justice Kilor was hearing a criminal application by Maharashtra government, filed through the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Rajapeth Division, Amravati City under Section 439 (2) of the Criminal Procedure Code, seeking cancellation of the bail granted to Rana by the trial court. On April 11, the High Court had issued notice to Rana in the state's plea, returnable on April 25. The matter was further adjourned to June 13. On Monday, the bench observed that no one appeared for "sole non-applicant (Rana)" though the application was "served long back". Therefore, it issued a bailable warrant against the MLA and posted the matter for further hearing to June 20. The official further added that as it was not an arrest warrant, Rana could seek time from the High Court through his advocates.
