Nashik: Bail Denied To Prime Accused In Canada Corner Assault Case, Conversion Racket Angle Under Probe

Nashik police have denied bail to Ajay Pramod Srivastava, the primary suspect in the alleged assault and conversion racket case near Umiya Apartments, Canada Corner, on September 1, 2026. According to prosecutors, Srivastava is accused of hurling casteist slurs at a college student and threatening to convert him to a different religion. A group of 15 to 20 people subsequently attacked the student and his friend with sticks, one of them allegedly throwing a stone at Mangesh Kulkarni.

The police registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Additional Sessions Judge R. N. Pandhare denied bail, citing Srivastava's financial status and the possibility of him intimidating witnesses and obstructing the investigation. The prosecution argued that if released, he might interfere with the ongoing probe.

Srivastava's defense presented CCTV footage from his home, claiming he was not present at the scene of the incident. However, the judge noted that the footage had not been verified through forensic and technical means. Authorities are actively searching for the other accused individuals involved in the case, and further investigation is being conducted by the Sarkarwada police.