The Bombay High Court has granted bail to Roshan Wadkar, a Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) worker accused of setting a toll booth on fire in Mumbai during an October protest against toll hikes. The incident took place in Anand Nagar, Mulund, as the MNS protested the toll increase on October 9. The MNS had shared a video of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis allegedly stating that private two and four-wheelers would be exempt from tolls, leading party workers to encourage motorists to avoid toll payments.
Wadkar, during the protest, reportedly threw a burning tire into a toll booth, resulting in his arrest. The Mumbai Police filed a chargesheet in the case, and Wadkar’s bail application was initially rejected by the sessions court. However, Justice MS Karnik, while granting bail, emphasized that there was no need to keep him in custody once the investigation is complete. Wadkar’s advocates argued that the protest aimed to highlight the issue of excessive toll charges despite poor road conditions and emphasized that no injuries occurred during the demonstration.
