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A Supreme Court bench of Justice CT Ravikumar and Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia yesterday, extended the interim protection granted to Maharashtra BJP MLA Jayakumar Gore by the Bombay High Court.

Gore has been accused of allegedly forging documents in the name of a deceased person.

An MLA from Satara District, Gore has been accused of fraudulently preparing bogus documents regarding a land in Mayani village. According to the Indian Express, a man called Mahadev Piraji Bhise had lodged a complaint in this regard.

He had moved the Bombay High Court for an anticipatory bail. His plea was however rejected by a Division Bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and VG Bisht. The court, however stayed the operation of its order by two weeks to enable Gore, to approach the Supreme Court to challenge the order.

When the matter came up for hearing before the Supreme Court, Mahesh Jethmalani, Sr. Adv, appearing for Gore submitted that the FIR was purely politically motivated. He argued that it was the doing of a rival faction to gain control over administration of Chatrapathi Shivaji Education Society.

Jethmalani further argued that the document on the basis of which allegations have been levelled against Gore, was not signed by him. He argued that after Gore assumed charge of the education trust, he unearthed many financial irregularities and a complaint has been filed before the Enforcement Directorate.

It was further argued that Gore was ready to give his specimen signature to be analysed by experts to ascertain whether the alleged signature was his.

The court, on hearing his submissions, extended the interim protection granted by the Bombay High Court and posted the matter to July 1, 2022 for further consideration.

Case Title: Jayakumar vs State of Maharashtra