Sachin Sambhaji Bhondekar v. The State Of Maharashtra

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY

CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CRIMINAL BAIL APPLICATION NO.356 OF 2015 Sachin Sambhaji Bhondekar ..Applicant

Versus

The State of Maharashtra ..Respondent ....

Mr. Pankaj D. Purway, Advocate for the Applicant. Mr. D.P. Adsule, APP, for the State.

....

CORAM : A. R. JOSHI, J.

DATE : 7th MAY, 2015 P.C.

1.

Heard learned Counsel for the applicant. Also heard learned APP for the State.

2.

This is an application for regular bail in the matter of C.R. No.97 of 2014 registered with Haveli Police Station, Pune for the offences punishable under Sections 384, 386, 365 read with Section 34 of IPC.

3.

The case of the prosecution, in nutshell, is that the complainant was accosted while he was on his way to home from his factory and ransom of Rs.50 Lakhs was demanded. He 1 / 3

was unable to pay that amount and as such the ransom amount was brought down to Rs.15 Lakhs. This has happened in the evening of 26th September, 2014. Time was given to the complainant to arrange amount of Rs.15 Lakhs till 15th October, 2014. As such, one day prior to that a telephone call was received and the complainant was asked to arrange for the amount. Thereafter on 18th October, 2014 the complainant was asked to get the amount to a particular place and by this time the complainant informed the police station and a trap was led. During the trap, one co-accused was apprehended by the police and during his interrogation the names of other three co-accused were revealed.

According to the case of prosecution the role attributed to the present applicant is that of keeping watch in the area when the initial incident of 26th September, 2014 occurred and according to the prosecution the applicant along with his one more associate kept watch and that time the applicant used one motorcycle belonging to the father of another co-accused. According to the investigation papers, said motorcycle was found at the instance of the present applicant. This is the only incriminating material against the applicant so far as the case against him is concerned.

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4.

The applicant was arrested on 19th October, 2014 and till date he is in custody. In the opinion of this Court, the material as available against the present applicant is of such an insignificant nature that further custody of the applicant is not warranted during the continuance of the trial. As such, on some conditions the applicant can be released on bail. Hence the order :

:: O R D E R ::

(i) The applicant be released on bail on his executing a PR bond in the sum of Rs.15,000/- (Rupees Fifteen Thousand Only) with one or two sureties for the like amount; (ii) Criminal Bail Application is disposed of accordingly. ( A. R. JOSHI, J.) Deshmane (PS) 3 / 3