Bail for Tony Agarwal

MUMBAI, MAY 11: Congress activist Tony Agarwal, who was arrested last month in connection with the drowning of five Dalit youths in Mulund, was today released on a bail of Rs 10,000 by a metropolitan court. Four persons, who were arrested along with him, were also given bail.

According to the complaint registered with the police on April 5, Agarwal along with 10-15 youths, whom he had hired, broke into the Vidula Education Centre, a franchise of Aptech Education run by Nitin Desai, and began loading computers, stationeries, printers etc valued at Rs 21.50 lakh in a waiting truck. However, before they could escape police arrived on the scene and on seeing the police, eight of the youths jumped into a nearby well. While five of them died, three managed to swim to safety. The survivors told the police that they were paid Rs 100 each for the job8217; by Agarwal and were promised jobs as watchmen. Police said that the incident was a fallout of a dispute between Agarwal and Desai over the office space occupied byDesai.

The case which was initially handled by the Mulund police was transferred to the Crime branch. Tony was arrested on April 10 after his anticipatory bail was rejected by the Sessions Court. His accomplices namely Bipin Thakkar, Nitin Visaria, Brijmohan Mundhra and Chander Pawar were arrested a few days later and were remanded in judicial custody.