July 30: The City Civil and Sessions Court yesterday rejected the anticipatory bail application (ABA) filed by a suspended police constable and his brother, allegedly involved in selling of bogus marksheets.Principal Judge of the Sessions Court A S Aguiar rejected the ABA filed by Arun R Kankunkar, the suspended constable and his brother Pradeep R Kankunkar. The two have been accused of preparing and selling bogus marksheets in connivance with three others who were arrested earlier by the general branch of the Mumbai police.Acting on a tip-off, the police had arrested Manoj Divecha, Uday Pednekar and Gokul Narvekar from New Bharat Hotel, Shabnam building, Andheri (E) on June 26, 1997. A bundle of bogus marksheets and bogus seals were also seized.The five sold marksheets each costing between Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000, depending on the urgency of the buyer and the required grade. The three associates were produced before metropolitan magistrate (Andheri) who remanded them to police custody.The investigations had revealed that the Kankunkar duo was also involved in the racket. They are absconding since their three aides were arrested. The police raided their residence and recovered bogus seals, blank marksheets, a personal computer and a typewriter, used for preparing the marksheets.While opposing the ABA, chief public prosecutor D G Paranjape argued that the two had committed an offence against the society. The accused were a threat for the entire student community passing the examinations honestly, Paranjape argued. Advocate R Singh defended the accused.
