Judge M S Javalkar of the special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA)court yesterday granted bail to 17-year-old Kunal, son of prime accused Popat Shinde in the Sonawane murder case, defence counsel Rahul Kasliwal said. Kunal, who was booked under stringent provisions of MCOCA along with 14 others, was lodged in a remand home since his arrest for being a juvenile.

Additional Collector of Malegaon Yashwant Sonawane was burnt alive allegedly by oil-mafia on January 25 near Manmad town when he caught them red handed. The prime accused Popat Shinde, who had sustained 80 percent burn injuries in the incident, later succumbed to them in J J hospital of Mumbai.

10 out of 15 accused, including Popat Shinde, his two sons and others, against whom MCOCA was imposed, are presently in the judicial custody while four others are absconding. Another accused Police Inspector Jagan Pimple, who was suspended after the incident, has challenged the prosecution in court for booking him under MCOCA.

The state government recently requested the CBI to probe the gruesome murder of Sonawane.