Mumbai, Mar 26 (PTI) Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council Pravin Darekar is a direct beneficiary of the alleged offence, observed a court here while denying anticipatory bail to the BJP leader in a forgery and cheating case.

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Additional Sessions Judge R N Rokade rejected Darekar's pre-arrest bail plea on Friday, the detailed order of which was made available on Saturday.

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Darekar is accused of forging documents to become a member of a labour society and subsequently contesting elections of the Mumbai District Co-Operative Society in the labour quota.

"There is prima facie material to show the complicity of the applicant in the offence. He is the direct beneficiary of the alleged offence," the judge noted.

The court further said allegations in the FIR bear out the case of fraud, cheating, forgery, falsification of accounts, adding that it could be seen from the FIR that Mumbai District Central Co­operative Bank has suffered "wrongful loss" and public funds were transferred to the applicant (Darekar).

The court also said the probe was at "nascent stage", and if the applicant is equipped with such an order before he is interrogated by police it would greatly harm the investigation and impede the prospects of unearthing of ramification involved in the conspiracy.

The FIR against Darekar for cheating and criminal conspiracy under IPC was registered on a complaint by Aam Aadmi Party leader Dhananjay Shinde, who alleged that the former contested the Mumbai District Co- Operative Society's election for the post of director under the labour category.

Darekar had served as president of the bank for several years.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)