THANE: A special court in Thane on Thursday granted bail to 54 tribals arrested for the lynching of two seers and their driver in Gadchinchale village in Kasa taluka of Palghar district in April.
District judge P P Jadhav granted bail on a personal bond of Rs 15,000 each and a surety.
Those granted bail include eight men who were arrested soon after the crime took place on April 16, 2020. The remaining 48 men who will walk out of jail are those arrested by the police in subsequent months for sharing videos of the lynching on social media platforms.
The state Crime Investigation Department (CID) is investigating the case. A demand to transfer the case to a central agency has been made by the BJP. The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned the pleas seeking a CBI probe into the lynching case to next week.
Advocates Amrut Adhikari and Atul Patil, representing the accused tribals told the court that the applicants had no role to play in the lynching incident and that they were arrested on mere suspicion.
Three chargesheets have been filed in the case. The total arrests are 238, that includes 11 minors. Of these, 77 tribals, including nine minors are out on bail. A total of 135 men are absconding.
Special public prosecutor Satish Maneshinde appeared for the prosecution, while advocate PN Ojha appeared for the family of the deceased seers. The bail applications of the other accused are likely to be decided early next month.