NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad gets anticipatory bail in molestation case

Former Maharashtra minister and NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad was on Tuesday granted bail by a Thane court in the case of alleged molestation against him registered by a woman.

The court allowed bail on a bond of Rs 15,000.

Awhad is an MLA from Mumbra-Kalwa area of Thane district.

A BJP office bearer from Thana, Rida Rashid, has filed an FIR against Awhad alleging that he molested her after a function in Kalwa on the outskirts of Thane on Sunday night.

In her complaint, Rashid has stated that Awhad held her shoulders and pushed her into a crowd of people when she was trying to approach Chief Minister Eknath Shinde with a memorandum.

Awhad was booked under section 354 of the Indian Penal Code, however, he immediately moved a Thane court seeking anticipatory bail.

“Got bail,” Dr Awhad tweeted as soon as the bail order came from the court.

In the wake of the developments, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar spoke to Awhad over phone.

Senior leaders including Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Ajit Pawar, state NCP President Jayant Patil and Baramati MP Supriya Sule spoke to him.