Journalism of Courage
The Pune police finally arrested corporator Deepak Mankar outside the Bombay High Court on Thursday.
Mankar was present at the high court for the hearing on his anticipatory bail application in the land-grabbing complaint lodged by Yeshwant Natu. After Justice Abhay Oak extended Mankars interim protection from arrest by one day in Natus case,the Pune police arrested him in another land-grabbing case filed by Shekhar Wambure,former director of Urban Co-operative Bank in Sadashiv Peth,at Vishrambaug police station.
Mankar had allegedly threatened and harassed Wambure for signing a letter of no-objection for selling about 3,000 sq ft of land at 768, Sadashiv Peth,owned by the bank. Police said Wambure was against the sale of this land. However,after Mankars interference,the land was sold to a builder for Rs 21.5 lakh,when its actual cost was much higher.
Mankar and co-accused in the Natu case Sudheer Karnataki had appeared before Justice Bhosale in the high court on Thursday. However,without citing any specific reasons,Justice Bhosale said that he would not look into Mankars case. Mankars counsel then submitted the anticipatory bail application before Justice Oak. But by this time,the work at the court was over for the day. Justice Oak thus adjourned the hearing till tomorrow,extending the interim protection from arrest to Mankar and Natu by one more day. The court had made it clear that the interim protection from arrest was only in Natus case.
The Pune police teams arrested Mankar when he came out of the high court in the evening. Karnataki was not arrested as he was not an accused in Wambures case. Mankar will be produced before the sessions court in Pune on Friday afternoon.
