A meeting of all social organisations and womens' groups from Jalgaon was held in the city last night to discuss the issue. It was decided to take out a silent morcha in Jalgaon city on November 11 to condemn the acquittal of Sapkale. It was also decided to demand that Sapkale be prohibited from entering Jalgaon and that he be externed as his return was a threat to the women in the city.

The morcha would be taken out to the district collectorate and the agitators would tie a cloth around their mouth. A memorandum condemning the decision of the court and demanding the externment of Sapkale would be submitted to the collector and district superintendent of police. Copies of the same would be sent to the Chief Minister, the Home Minister and top police officials.

At the meeting several speakerscondemned the acquittal of Sapkale, pointing out that enough evidence had been placed in front of the court and that the lower court had convicted him. The speakers also expressed concern over his return to Jalgaon, fearing more criminal activities by him.

Sapkale, who was accused of raping and blackmailing girls when he was a Congress councillor in the Jalgaon Municipal Council in 1994, was acquitted by the High Court on November 3, 1998. Besides Sapkale, the other accused in the sex racket included another Congress councillor Raju Tadvi and Sanjay Pawar (son of former Congress MLC Murlidhar Pawar). Sapkale is yet to return to his hometown after his acquittal in the case.