LI Network
Published on: 23 August 2023 at 17:32 IST
Former NCP(National congress party) MLA Ramesh Kadam, who had been in custody since 2015 due to his involvement in a scam related to the Sahityaratna Lokshahir Annabhau Sathe Development Corporation (SLASDC), was granted bail by a Mumbai court.
Following the court’s order, Kadam walked out of prison on Sunday, marking his release after eight years of incarceration.
The scam’s exposure resulted in multiple cases being filed against Ramesh Kadam.
In March of this year, the Bombay High Court had already granted him bail in one of the significant cases registered against him at the Dahisar police station in Mumbai.
The current bail granted to Ramesh Kadam pertains to an incident that occurred on February 24, 2016, during his time in Arthur Road Prison. Allegedly, Kadam forcibly entered the Arthur Road Jail Superintendent’s office and verbally abused the Chief Medical Officer, issuing threats.
A case was registered against him under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, along with sections of the Maharashtra Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss to Property) Act, 2010.
Advocate Prakash Salsingikar, representing Ramesh Kadam, argued that the case was fueled by personal animosity and that witnesses were biased or police officials. He pointed out that Kadam had never been arrested in this specific case and highlighted his previous bail in the SLASDC funds misappropriation case.
Assistant Public Prosecutor Sumesh Punjwani, on the other hand, opposed the bail application, citing compelling evidence against Kadam and labeling him a “habitual offender.”
After considering arguments from both sides, Special Judge Rahul Rokde acknowledged Kadam’s involvement in the SLASDC funds misappropriation case and his previous bail.
The judge emphasized that Kadam had not been arrested during the investigation of the present case and deemed the circumstances appropriate for granting him regular bail, taking into account the nature of the offense and potential penalties.