Pande case: No security for businessman

The Bombay High Court has refused to interfere with the decision of the police to withdraw security of the Thane-based businessman who deposed against alleged gang members of the Bunty Pande gang in a 2009 murder case.

The Bombay High Court has refused to interfere with the decision of the police to withdraw security of the Thane-based businessman who deposed against alleged gang members of the Bunty Pande gang in a 2009 murder case.

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A division bench of justice AM Khanwilkar and justice AP Bhangale on Tuesday asked Durgaram Chaudhary to file a fresh application for police protection in case there are fresh threats.

Chaudhary said he was an eyewitness to a murder case in 2009, in which the police had arrested four alleged Pande gang members. The security was withdrawn last month following a report from the senior police inspector of Kapurbawdi, Thane, that there was no threat to Chaudhary’s life.

Subhash Jha, Chaudhary’s lawyer said Chaudhary had been a prime witness in a murder case. After his deposition in the court, the threat to his life has increased, even more so since the recent deportation of Pande.

Additional public prosecutor KV Saste said there was no threat because all the accused had been acquitted in May. Besides, the protection was till his deposition in court, which does not survive now, added Saste. Also there have not been any fresh threat calls to Chaudhary, added Saste.