Bail for Gawli in graft case

Mumbai: A local court has granted bail to gangster-turned-MLA Arun Gawli in a graft case, reports our correspondent.

Gawli was arrested around 8 pm on Saturday by Mumbai police’s economic offences wing (EOW) in a case that involved siphoning off Rs 85 lakh meant for workers in 2004-05.

Gawli was picked up from his Dagdi Chawl home at Byculla after a builder filed the case.

Officials said Gawli has admitted to having used the money to contest the 2004 Assembly elections under the Akhil Bharatiya Sena banner.

“A total of 469 workers of Neptune Construction had given the power of attorney to Gawli, president of the Akhil Bharatiya Kamgar Sena, to collect their dues, such as provident fund payments and gratuity,” additional commissioner of police (EOW) Sadanand Date said.

Officials said nine workers of Globe Auto Works, a firm in Mulund, had also complained to the police that they had not received their dues collected by Gawli.

3-year-old and woman raped

Muzaffarnagar (PTI): A three-year-old girl and a woman were allegedly raped and another woman was injured in various parts of the district.

The three-year-old from Bumma village was playing with other children when a 45-year-old man allegedly raped her. Villagers caught the man and handed him over to police after beating him up.

In another incident, a woman in Kurthal village was allegedly gangraped at gunpoint.

A resident of Maza village also sustained injuries when she resisted an alleged attempt by two youths to sexually assault her at gunpoint, police said.

Blood racket

Guntur (PTI): Two assistants and the manager of a private medical laboratory have been arrested for alleged involvement in buying blood from children.

The trio used to visit playgrounds to induce the children to sell blood.

YSR notice

New Delhi (PTI): The Election Commission has issued a notice to Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy for violating the model code of conduct while campaigning in Karimnagar Lok Sabha constituency. The notice was issued on the basis of a statement made by Reddy regarding construction of a road there. The poll panel has sought his reply by Monday.

Custody death

Jammu (PTI): Residents of Kishtwar demonstrated against the death of a villager in custody on Sunday. Mukand Lal was allegedly tortured during interrogation after he was picked up by police.

India’s first university to train serving and future police officers in areas of biological warfare and other possible forms of terror attack will come up in the national capital region.