Maharashtra MLA Bacchu Kadu granted bail by Esplanade Court, asked to surrender passport

Mumbai: Maharashtra independent legislator Bacchu Kadu was granted bail on Thursday by the Esplanade Court in Mumbai on payment of a surety of Rs 25,000 for allegedly slapping a bureaucrat after a scuffle over allowing an associate to live in government quarters.

The independent MLA who was sent to judicial custody till April 8 is asked to surrender his passport.

Maharashtra government employees working at the Mantralaya, the state secretariat, had yesterday called off their protest against the alleged assault on an official by an Independent MLA.

The Mantralaya employees had gone on a flash strike on Tuesday to protest against the incident and demanded action against the legislator. The protest continued on Wednesday, with the staff assembling in Mantralaya, seeking action against Achalapur MLA Bacchu Kadu, against whom an FIR has been lodged.

Earlier, Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse announced an enquiry by the Chief Secretary into the alleged assault.

Kadu, along with a clerk Ashok Jadhav, had gone to meet B. R. Gavit, Deputy Secretary, General Administration Department on Tuesday.

He was insisting that Jadhav be allowed to continue to stay in the government quarters and be alloted additional accommodation, in violation of norms, a Mantralaya official said.