PALGHAR: Rohit Gavit, son of MLA Rajendra Gavit, was arrested on Saturday in connection with the attack at a hospital in Palghar and was remanded in police custody for four days by the Palghar sessions court.The number of accused in the case has now increased from 17 to 22. Police have so far arrested 14 people in connection with the incident.The incident took place in the early hours of Saturday, September 5, when injured Govindas were admitted to Relief Hospital in Palghar for treatment. A dispute reportedly broke out over the cost of their treatment, following which local Shiv Sena office-bearers allegedly went to the hospital, created a ruckus and assaulted a hospital employee.The Bombay High Court had expressed strong displeasure over the manner in which the Palghar police handled the case and pulled up the police over the delay in arresting the accused. Following the court’s observations, police formed several teams to trace and arrest the accused.On Friday afternoon, police took Rohit Gavit into custody from Mira Road. He was arrested on Saturday and produced before the Palghar sessions court. Arguments in the case continued for nearly an hour.Gavit’s lawyer claimed before the court that although Gavit was present at the spot, he had no role in the assault. After hearing arguments from both sides, in-charge first class judicial magistrate P C Salkar remanded Gavit in police custody for four days, till September 16.Number of accused rises from 17 to 22When the FIR was registered, 17 accused had been named, including seven identified persons and 10 unidentified persons. The main accused, Palghar Shiv Sena city chief Rahul Gharat, had been arrested earlier and his police custody has been extended till September 13.Police on Saturday also arrested 12 Govindas in connection with the case. They were remanded in police custody till September 15.Four accused seek anticipatory bailThe anticipatory bail applications filed by suspended office-bearers Sairaj Patil, Rahul Sankhe and Manish alias Vicky Sankhe were rejected by the court on Thursday. Kundan Sankhe, Shubham Bandivdekar and corporator Neelam Sankhe have filed applications seeking anticipatory bail. The applications will be heard on September 15.
