India, May 15 -- Vikas Lawande, spokesperson of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction), has been granted interim anticipatory bail by a district court in connection with a case registered for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of the Warkari community.

A case was registered against Lawande, 54, at Wagholi police station under Sections 196(1)(a), 299 and 302 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Anticipating arrest, Lawande approached the district court seeking anticipatory bail.

The application came up for hearing before Additional District and Sessions Judge S. R. Salunkhe on Wednesday. Appearing for the applicant, advocate Harshvardhan Milind Pawar argued that the case was false and filed with retaliatory intent...