HC to protect Pratima Nagrale’s lawyer

The Bombay high court on Friday assured that it will ensure the safety of advocate Gunaratna Sadavarte, who is representing Pratima Nagrale, wife of senior IPS officer Hemant Nagrale. The court assurance came following a threat received by the advocate
Sadavarte told the judges about the episode, which took place on Thursday, in their private chamber. “This advocate’s safety is in hands of this court and therefore it is our responsibility to protect him,” observed the division bench of justice BH Marlapalle and RY Ganoo.

Sadavarte said that he feared for his security and his family urged the court to withdraw his name from the case. Later, after speaking to the judges, he agreed to continue with the case.

Nagrale, who is on deputation as chief vigilance officer of MSEB, has been dragged to court by his wife Pratima.

In her petition, Pratima alleged that her husband used to physically and mentally torture her. She also claimed that he had used her name to convert his black money into white by buying properties worth several crores.

Nagrale, however, refuted the allegations stating that all his income and property details were shown to the income tax while filing returns. His defence argued that he has been filing his returns every year and has shown all the property details therein.

All the properties mentioned in the petition can be classified in three parts — joint family’s property, his own and jointly owned with wife — argued Nagrale’s defence.