The Rouse Avenue court on Friday granted bail to one Gangadhar Gunde whose counsel claimed that he was wrongly arrested by the CBI due to mistaken identity in an NEET paper case linked to Latur, Maharashtra.

CBI had arrested the accused Gunde on June 26 from Dehradun. This case was initially registered by the Latur Police at Shivaji Nagar Police Station. Later on, the FIR was taken over by the CBI.

Special CBI judge Ankit Singla granted bail to Gangadhar Gunde after hearing arguments of counsel for CBI and the accused.

He has been granted bail on furnishing of a bail bond of Rs 25,000 and a surety bond of the same amount.

Advocate Kailash More counsel for Gangadhar Rangnath Gunde argued that Gunde had been arrested by the CBI on June 26 from Dehradun due to mistaken identity. He is not the actual man for whom CBI was looking for.

It was also submitted that an FIR was lodged by the CBI about the NEET UG exam 2024 against a person whose name is also Gangadhar but the full name was not revealed. N Gangadhar Appa Nanjuthappa was arrested by the CBI later on.

CBI had lodged the case against unknown persons. N Gangadhar Appa Nanjuthappa has been arrested in Bengaluru.

Advocate More also submitted that Gangadhar Gunde’s name surfaced during the investigation as he met one Sanjay Tukaram Jadhav on October 2.

Gunde met him in Osmanabad about his daughter’s matrimonial dispute at her in-law’s house. There Gunde and Jadhav exchanged their mobile numbers. Gunde made a call to Jadhav on October 3, the bail plea stated.

On the other hand, the counsel for the CBI disputed the submissions of the defence counsel. She argued that one suspect Irenna Konagalwar is on the run and only knows who is actual Gangadhar agency was looking for. So as far now, it can’t be said with surety that the present accused is not the same Gangadhar agency was looking for.

Relying upon the statement of arrested teachers Sanjay Tukaram Jadhav and Jalil Umar Khan Pathan, CBI submitted that Konagalwar knew Gangadhar.

She further pointed out that they have arrested another accused N Gangadhar Appa Nanjuthappa. It was also submitted that the mobile number CBI had was being used by Gunde. Jadhav and Gunde had a conversation.

CBI counsel also submitted that Gangadhar has been arrested in the initial FIR registered on June 23, 2024. His name surfaced during the interrogation of Sanjay Tukaram Jadhav and Jalil Umar Khan Pathan, the FIR named the accused persons.

Counsel for CBI submitted in the court that Gandhar has been arrested on the basis of complaint given by the Inspector ATS Maharashtra police against four persons including Gangadhar. The Complaint had his name and his number and he is Delhi Delhi-based person.

Another man N Gangadhar Nanjuthappa also has been arrested.

One accused namely Irenna Konagalwar is on the run, only he can identify who is real Gangadhar, the agency looking for, CBI counsel submitted.

It was also submitted that Gangadhar’s phone CDR is also awaited.

While referring to the conspiracy aspects the CBI counsel submitted that Jadhav and Pathan were contacting and collecting initial token money and admit cards from the NEET Aspirants. They were sending the same to Irenna Konagalwar who in turn gave it to Gangadhar who lives in Delhi to get their marks increased.

It is also submitted that Gunde was arrested on the intervening night of June 25 and 26 in Dehradun in one of the five cases registered by the CBI. He was produced before the Rouse Avenue Court on June 27 and was remanded to CBI custody till June 30. Thereafter he was sent to judicial custody on July 12.

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