Bombay HC grants bail to former MLA Ramesh Kadam, others pending appeal against conviction for 2015 case of assaulting police officers

They were convicted for offences punishable under Sections 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to public servant while they are performing their duty) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his or her duty) under the IPC.

As per the complaint, the authority had denied permission to then MLA Kadam and his supporters to carry out a procession to raise protest against a case registered against him and had asked him to surrender alone as punishment provided in another crime related to alleged misappropriation of funds.

However, on July 4, 2015, Kadam and his supporters proceeded towards the police station despite restrictions and an aggressive mob pelted stones causing injuries to some police officers and damaged police vehicles.

District and sessions judge of Solapur I A Shaikh-Nazir had noted that Kadam, a legislator, was aware of legal provisions and in this situation, it was his duty to follow rules and regulations. The trial court also granted interim bail to the accused till filing of their appeal in High Court.

A single-judge bench of Justice S V Kotwal on Tuesday, while admitting their appeal, noted that the evidence will have to be tested in the appeal at the stage of final hearing. “The sentence imposed on the Applicants is only for one month. The Appeal is not likely to be heard within that period,” the bench noted. The court directed the appellants to be released on personal bond of Rs 25,000 each with sureties of the same amount during pendency of their appeal.