Navi Mumbai: After 13 years of court trial, Alibaug district and sessions court on Thursday convicted and sentenced a Raigad Shiv Sena leader Dilip Bhoir (60) and his 20 aides to seven years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) in the attempt to murder case registered at Mangaon police station in 2012.Advocate Prasad Patil informed that the convicted Bhoir is a resident of Zirad village, Alibaug taluka. Four other accused aides were acquitted by principal district and sessions judge, Alibaug, Rajendra Sawant due to lack of evidence against them. Those convicted have been sentenced to 7 years of RI with Rs 3,000 fine each. All accused have been immediately arrested after been convicted by the court. On Sept 11, 2012, when Bhoir was with Peasants and Workers Party (PWP), he was elected as Social Welfare department’s chairman of Raigad Zilla Parishad. Bhoir and his associates were booked by Mandwa coastal police station for assaulting Congress worker Vijay Thale and his spouse Rupali in Chondi village and causing them severe injuries. Bhoir and his aides were absconding for two months and after their anticipatory bail was rejected by the court, they surrendered at Mandwa coastal police station as per court order and were arrested. While Bhoir was in jail custody for 15 days and his aides were were in jail custody for two months, they were later gradually released on bail.After been released on bail, Bhoir had switched to BJP as he was denied ticket to contest election as MLA from Alibaug. He contested as an independent candidate but was defeated. Thereafter, a few months ago, he had joined the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction).
