NCP leader gets pre-arrest bail in loan scam case

Mumbai, Aug 16 (PTI) A court in Beed district ofMaharashtra has granted anticipatory bail to NCP leaderDhananjay Munde, who is the Leader of the Opposition in theLegislative Council, in connection with a loan scam. "Munde was granted pre-arrest bail last Friday after weargued that he was not absconding and custodial interrogationwas not necessary in the case," his lawyer Aniket Nikam saidtoday. A case was registered in 2013 at Parli police station inBeed against Munde and others. It is alleged that SantJagmitra Cooperative Cotton Mill, of which Munde was one ofthe directors, took loans of over Rs 10 crore from the BeedDistrict Cooperative Bank, and failed to repay them. In the application, Munde said that he was the Leader ofthe Opposition, and if he was arrested, it would damage hispolitical career. Nikam argued that the cooperative mill which took theloans, had paid a substantial amount towards the interest, andalso mortgaged its property with the bank. Considering this, the intention to cheat the bank was notproved, the lawyer said. Additional District Judge N S Kole accepted the argumentand granted anticipatory bail to Munde. PTI VI KRKSC