Bank poll-cheating case: Interim protection from arrest for BJP’s Darekar extended by HC

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday extended by two weeks the interim protection from arrest granted last week by a sessions court in the city to BJP leader Pravin Darekar in a cheating case.

A single bench presided over by Justice Anuja Prabhudessai extended the relief granted to Darekar after he filed a plea in the HC seeking anticipatory bail in the case.

His plea for such bail was rejected by the sessions court on March 25 though its had, at the time, granted protection from arrest till March 29 so that he could approach the HC for relief.

Darekar’s plea was scheduled to be heard by HC on Tuesday but it could not be taken up due to paucity of time. His lawyer then mentioned the matter seeking an urgent hearing, after which the HC scheduled the matter for final hearing after two weeks and said the interim protection from arrest will continue till then.

An FIR was filed against Darekar after AAP leader Dhananjay Shinde alleged that the former had contested the Mumbai District Central Cooperative Bank polls for the post of director under the labour category by posing as a labourer.