Navi Mumbai cop murder: Main accused inspector withdraws bail plea

Senior inspector Abhay Kurundkar, the main accused in assistant inspector Ashwini Bidre-Gore murder case, recently applied for bail. However, the bail application was withdrawn from the Alibaug session court before the case hearing on Monday.

Nilesh Raut, assistant commissioner of police (crime), confirmed the withdrawal of the bail application but said he didn’t know the reason.

Public prosecutor Santosh Pawar said: “We were informed that some revisions were necessary in the bail application and hence, it was withdrawn unconditionally before the hearing. The reasons behind the withdrawal are purely technical.”

Raju Gore, Bidre’s husband, has alleged that there is a conspiracy to bail Kurundkar secretly. “We think some police officers are trying to get out Kurundkar out on bail. They might have planned to get it done secretly, but failed so they finally withdrew the application,” he said.

Kurundkar, 52, had been arrested in connection with the murder on December 7 last year. Three more people – including BJP leader Eknath Khadse’s nephew, Rajesh Patil, 44 – were arrested between December 11 last year and February 27.

In April, Patil had applied for bail which was rejected by the Alibaug court. “He has challenged the order and moved the high court. The hearing is scheduled for Tuesday,” Gore said.

Sangeeta Alphonso, assistant commissioner of police, who is supervising the investigation, was unavailable for comments.