Protest outside Pawar’s house: Nagpur man arrested

MUMBAI: The Gamdevi police on Thursday arrested a Nagpur resident in connection with the violent protest by Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) workers outside Silver Oak, the Malabar Hill residence of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, on April 8.

Esplanade court remanded the accused, Sandeep Godbole, in police custody till Saturday, after the police claimed that he was a crucial link in the entire episode.

Special public prosecutor

Pradeep Gharat informed the court that Godbole had attended the conspiracy meeting and was one of the planners of the riot and was in touch with arrested lawyer Gunratan Sadavarte and MSRTC worker Abhishek Patil, who purportedly led the mob towards the NCP chief’s house.

He said Godbole was at Azad Maidan on April 8 – on the day of the riot – and spoke to Patil. “We have all the conversations with us. He told them [the protestors] to get down at Mahalaxmi station, gather near a garden outside Pawar’s house, and then proceed. He even messaged Sadavarte to send journalists [to Silver Oak].”

“We want to confront Godbole with Patil and Sadavarte to get the facts. Godbole had made seven calls to Sadavarte on the day of the incident. He, however, answered only one WhatsApp call,” Gharat told the court.

He added that Godbole was part of the conspiracy meeting that took place late in the night of April 7.

Godbole, who spoke in person, denied the allegations. “I did not attend any conspiracy meeting. After the court’s [the Bombay high court’s] decision, we celebrated at Azad Maidan and later I left for MLA guest house at Colaba,” Godbole, also a MSRTC employee, said.

Meanwhile, the Satara City police took the custody of Sadavarte from Arthur Road jail on Thursday morning and took him to Satara where a case has been registered against him in October 2020 for allegedly making inciting statements.

HT FILE PHOTO MSRTC employees protest outside Pawar’s home.