MVA’s favourite prosecutor removed from ₹52.89-crore cheating case against BJP leader

Advocate Pradip Gharat who had represented the state government in several high-profile cases during the tenure of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) regime has been taken off the cheating case against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Mohit Kamboj Bharatiya.

On Tuesday, Gharat received a letter from the law and judiciary department, removing him as special public prosecutor (SPP) in the case. Bharatiya is accused of duping the Indian Overseas Bank to the tune of ₹52.89 crore during 2011-15. Police registered a case on May 31, 2022. Later, in response to the anticipatory bail plea filed by Bharatiya, the bank, however, informed the Mumbai sessions court that it did not wish to pursue the case.

“I have received a letter from the law and judiciary department, informing me that I have been removed from the case against Mohit Kamboj Bharatiya. I have done my work throughout my life with honesty and I had not gone to any government to plead for work. I already have my hands full,” Gharat said, adding, “But, this was expected.”

Meanwhile, officials at Mantralaya said the process is also on to remove Gharat from the Anti-Corruption Bureau case against businessman Jitendra Navlani and he will receive an order soon. Navlani is accused of collecting money from builders and business establishments, purportedly on behalf of some Enforcement Directorate officers.

Even during the MVA rule, Gharat was sacked as SPP from the Maharashtra Sadan case involving Nationalist Congress Party leader Chhagan Bhujbal. However, Bhujbal was later discharged in the case.

“Gharat is an honest lawyer,” a senior police officer, who has worked with him in several cases, said.

Gharat has to his record more than 25 life imprisonments and is presently handling cases against gangster Chhota Rajan.

Once the favourite of the MVA government, Gharat handled Salman Khan’s hit-and-run case in which the actor was convicted by the trial court, but the conviction was reversed by the Bombay high court.

Gharat, a seasoned advocate and a resident of Alibaug, had also fought the 2000 case involving the arrest of pirates and secured convictions for the 19 Indonesian nationals.

He has also worked as SPP in the stamp paper scam involving Abdul Karim Laadsab Telgi, and in the journalist J Dey murder case and got life imprisonment for nine men involved in the murder.

Gharat also represented Mumbai police in the case against Union minister Narayan Rane and his MLA son Nitesh Rane. They were booked on the complaint of Vasanti Salian, mother of Disha Salian, who was the ex-manager of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, after Ranes made some public statements about Disha. On June 8, 2021, Disha died in an accident.