Case against Mankar to be re-investigated

PUNE: A magistrate's court here has ordered the crime branch, Pune to re-investigate an old case of alleged land-grabbing, filed against suspended Congress vice-president and PMC corporator Deepak Mankar and others in 2005.
Deputy commissioner of police (crime) Anil Kumbhare said, "The special team set up to examine the cases will verify the old case registered against him to determine the fairness of the investigations."
Senior police inspector C B Mankar, in-charge of the Samarth police station said, "The police had earlier filed a "C final report" in the case registered against Mankar and others as the offence was civil in nature.The crime branch, Pune, which took over the investigations a few days ago has obtained permission from judicial magistrate first class S T Sakhare to re-investigate the case."
Yeshwant Bhimale (69) of Guruwar Peth and father of BJP leader Shrinath Bhimale, had registered a complaint against Mankar, Sadhana Vartak, and about 150 others for ransacking his toddy shop located on a 3,000 sq ft area in Rasta Peth with the Samarth police station on January 1, 2005.
The police had booked Mankar and others on charges of dacoity after Bhimale complained that they had thrashed two employees at the shop and had looted money and other valuables.
However, later, Bhimale recanted his complaint.
The crime branch had recently filed an application before the court asking that the case be re-investigated, saying it had specific information that Mankar had pressurised Bhimale into withdrawing his complaint.
According to the police, Bhimale had rented the land at 481 Rasta Peth from builder Megha Dixit. In 2001, there was a dispute between Bhimale and Dixit over the rent. In 2004, Bhimale set up a toddy shop on the land in partnership with Dilip Shankar Patil.
In February 2004, Dixit reportedly handed over the land to Mankar for development.
On January 1, 2005, Mankar and his men, armed with swords and sticks, had allegedly ransacked Bhimale's shop.