Vadodara: The sessions court on Thursday denied anticipatory bail to Bhikha Bhaliya, his son Deepak and nephew Mahesh, who were accused of discharging acidic liquid into Vishwamitri River at Vadsar.The trio was booked at Manjalpur police station on April 3 after the special operations group (SOG) of city police raided their illegally occupied dumping site on the river banks and seized a tanker. The accused had filed for anticipatory bail in the sessions court last week pleading innocence in the case.However, the police submitted an affidavit opposing the bail. Police told the court that the three accused and Arjun Singh Sisodiya, the tanker owner, were in constant touch before the raid. In the affidavit, police also submitted that they have gathered the call detail records of all all three, which shows that they were in touch with each other before dumping the noxious liquid.During investigation, police also recorded statements of waste collectors whom Bhaliya had made tenants at the dumping site. The accused used to collect rent from them and used the site to dispose of chemical, the affidavit stated.The court observed that since the accused’s interrogation has not been done, police’s submission are admissible.While rejecting their plea, the court stated in its order that there are possibilities that the trio may abscond to save themselves from punishment and not cooperate during investigations.In the raid on April 3, police found that the trio had formed an enclosure with tin shades and piles of garbage bags so that the illegal act can be carried out without anyone noticing. A concrete structure was formed inside the enclosure where only a pipe has to be connected to an inlet to release industrial waste from the tanker. The other end of the inlet opened in the Vishwamitri River.

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