MUMBAI, Jan. 8 -- A Panvel sessions court on Tuesday refused to grant anticipatory bail to Sudhakar Ghare, Raigad district president of the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction), and Bharat Ragho Bhagat in the murder case of Mangesh Kalokhe at Khopoli. Additional Sessions Judge S.R. Chavan said custodial interrogation of both accused was essential in view of the seriousness of the crime, its impact on society and the need for a fair and effective investigation. According to the police, the incident occurred when Kalokhe, the husband of a newly elected Khopoli municipal councillor, was returning home around 7 am when a group of assailants chased him, forced him to the ground and attacked him with swords, sickles and an axe, killing him on the spot. The daylight murder triggered public outrage in Khopoli, prompting the police to treat the case as socially and politically sensitive. "Five attackers kept surveillance on the victim before carrying out the fatal assault," said assistant police inspector Sujit Gadade, adding that the execution was planned in advance and carried out with precision. Eight police teams were formed to investigate the murder case. Their investigation has revealed that Kalokhe was attacked by Darshan Devkar and Sachin Chavan, along with three unidentified persons. The murder occurred barely five days after the results of the Khopoli Municipal Council elections were declared, in which Kalokhe's wife, a Shiv Sena candidate, had defeated Urmila Ravindra Devkar of the NCP. The police have named Ravindra Devkar as the prime accused and alleged that Ghare was part of the conspiracy, citing his telephonic contact with Darshan Devkar on December 20 and December 23. Seeking bail, Ghare and Bhagat denied any involvement in the crime and claimed they were falsely implicated due to political rivalry. They alleged that the Khopoli police had acted at the behest of Shiv Sena MLA Mahendra Thorve. They also claimed that the allegations against them were general in nature, with no specific role attributed to either of them. Rejecting the pleas, the court observed that while personal liberty is important, the gravity of the offence could not be ignored. It said a thorough investigation was required to unearth the truth and that custodial interrogation of the applicants was necessary. "The liberty of the person is important, but it is equally incumbent to analyse the seriousness of the offence," the court said. The sessions court further highlighted that both Ghare and Bhagat had criminal antecedents, with serious cases registered against them in different police stations in the region, and held that there was a possibility of their influencing or intimidating prosecution witnesses if granted anticipatory bail....