Lawyer claims false case was made for political reasons; quartet says incident changed their lives for worse; Kamble, the complainant, is a retired Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport employee who served as the South Mumbai president of the RPI in 2006
(From left) Vishal Rahul Jonjal, Shirish Dhondiram Chikhalkar, advocate Sunil Pandey, Vishal Pandurang Gaikwad, and Vishal Manohar Diwar. Pic/By Special Arrangement
Four people were acquitted in a 2017 case where they were accused of dousing Republican Party of India (RPI) leader Sopan Kamble in flammable liquid and attempting to set him on fire during a protest in South Mumbai. The court observed that the allegations against the men — Vishal Manohar Diwar, Vishal Rahul Jonjal, Vishal Pandurang Gaikwad, and Shirish Dhondiram Chikhalkar — appeared to have stemmed from political rivalry and that no such incident had actually taken place. Kamble, the complainant, is a retired Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport employee who served as the South Mumbai president of the RPI in 2006.
Case background
In 2017, after Dalit scholar Dr Krishna Kirwale’s murder, the RPI held an agitation at Azad Maidan demanding a CBI probe. Four activists later proposed a rasta roko near CSMT, which party leader Sopan Kamble opposed, citing public inconvenience and police orders. During the dispute, one accused allegedly poured kerosene on Kamble while another tried to set him on fire. Kamble’s wife and an activist intervened, but the group also assaulted him. An FIR was filed, and four spent six months in jail before getting bail.
Advocate’s statement
Advocate Sunil Pandey, who represented the accused, told mid-day, “All four of my clients were falsely implicated in this case due to political rivalry. They have now been acquitted by the court.” The court, while acquitting them, observed, “It appears that the incident was more of a political stunt than an attempt to commit murder. It was given the colour of a serious offence, which has not been proved beyond a reasonable doubt. No external injuries were found on Kamble, and though a matchbox was recovered, no burnt matchstick was found at the spot.” Pandey further added, “This appears to have been political drama at that time. It does not constitute the offence of attempt to murder under Section 307 of the Indian Penal Code.”
'Wrongly framed'
Gaikwad told mid-day, “I was wrongly framed due to political rivalry. I lost everything because of this case. I was jailed for six months and later released on bail. Even today, I am unemployed.” Chikhalkar said, “Advocate Pandey helped us get justice, and I am thankful to him. But I have been able to get a job because of this false case.”
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