Nagpur: Former Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and state water resources minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil on Monday appeared before a Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) court in the city in connection with a 2017 protest outside the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), where they and other Congress functionaries are accused of pushing policemen and attempting to enter RBI premises during an agitation against rising fuel and LPG prices.JMFC judge NN Chintamani granted both netas conditional bail after they furnished personal bonds of 5,000 each. The court had issued summons to the accused on July 13.According to the prosecution, the protest was organised by Congress on Sept 26, 2017, outside RBI office. After speeches at a dharna held at Samvidhan Square, a group of functionaries was permitted to enter the RBI to submit a memorandum. The prosecution alleges that around 60 to 70 other protesters, including six named accused, ignored police instructions, marched towards RBI’s main entrance and demanded entry. They are accused of pushing police personnel, climbing RBI’s iron entrance gate and attempting to enter. A criminal case was subsequently registered.Besides the duo, the chargesheet names other Cong functionaries along with unidentified protesters. The allegations against all the accused are part of the prosecution case and remain to be tested during trial.
