Assault on Shaktiman: Court rejects bail plea of Joshi

Mussoorie BJP MLA Ganesh Joshi will be in jail at least till Monday after his bail application was rejected by the judicial magistrate court on Saturday. Joshi was sent to 14-day judicial custody on Friday after he was arrested for allegedly thrashing a police horse during a BJP protest last Monday.

Significantly, the court of judicial magistrate Akram Ali rejected the bail plea stating that the accused is a powerful person and can influence the evidences against him. The defence lawyers moved the bail application on Friday after Joshi was sent to judicial custody by Vikasnagar Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) court.

RS Raghav, lawyer of Ganesh Joshi, said: “We had argued before the court that the MLA should be granted bail as maximum punishment under the sections imposed against him is five years. I discussed Supreme Court judgement in the Arnesh Vs State of Bihar which curtailed the power of arrest by the police and various safeguards were set in place.”

On the other hand, the prosecution raised the point of influential status of MLA and chances of him interfering with the investigation. However, the defence lawyers are now going to appeal in the session court on Monday. “We are going to file fresh bail application in the court of district judge on Monday and I am optimistic that we will respite from there.”

Joshi has been booked by the police under Section 429 (mischief by killing or maiming cattle,), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the IPC, 11 of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, section 332 (Voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) and 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of IPC.