Mumbai doctor's death: Arrested husband's two siblings get anticipatory bail

Mumbai, Nov 28 (PTI) A Mumbai court on Monday granted anticipatory bail to the siblings of Maharashtra minister Pankaja Munde's personal assistant Anant Garje, who has been held for allegedly abetting the suicide of his doctor wife Gauri Palve.

Palve, a dentist with civic-run KEM hospital, had committed suicide on November 22 at her Worli residence allegedly due to domestic disputes, as per police.

Garje and his siblings Shital Garje Andhale and Ajay Garje were booked following a complaint by Palve's kin. Anant Garje and Palve had married in February this year.

Fearing arrest in the case, Andhale and Ajay Garje sought pre-arrest bail, which was allowed by additional sessions judge RJ Pawar. The duo had sought pre-arrest bail primarily on the ground that they have no connection with the case, their lawyer Mangesh Deshmukh said.

Prima facie, no role is attributed to the two accused in the FIR registered by the police, the defence argued.

"Along with the arguments, we also cited some Supreme Court judgements, which the court accepted and granted us relief," advocate Deshmukh said.

Earlier in the day, Mumbai police's Special Investigation Team (SIT) took custody of Anant Garje, currently lodged in Arthur Road prison in central Mumbai.

He was produced in court, which remanded him in three-day SIT custody.

The SIT, headed by Zone IV Deputy Commissioner of Police Ragasudha R, has eight members. It was formed on December 5. PTI AVI BNM