Rekhabai Govindsingh Rajput And Others v. The State Of Maharashtra
2026:BHC-AUG:5760 -1IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY BENCH AT AURANGABAD BAIL APPLICATION NO. 2578 OF 2025 REKHABAI GOVINDSINGH RAJPUT AND OTHERS
VERSUS
THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA *** Advocate for Applicants : Mr. Nilesh S. Ghanekar APP for Respondents-State : Mr. C. V. Bhadane *** CORAM : SACHIN S. DESHMUKH, J.
Date : 10th February, 2026 ORDER :- 1.
The applicants have approached this Court seeking regular bail in connection with FIR dated 08.10.2025 bearing Crime No. 284 of 2025 registered with Pahur Police Station, Dist. Jalgaon for the offences punishable under Sections 85, 80, 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
2.
The case of the prosecution is that on 08.10.2025, Sardar Babulal Pardeshi lodged a report at the Pahur Police Station regarding the death of daughter Bhagyashri. The informant informed the authorities that Bhagyashri married Rahul Govindsingh Rajput on 17.05.2020 and that the couple had a threeyear-old son. Bhagyashri frequently reported being subjected to both mental and physical torture by her husband Rahul, her
-2mother-in-law Rekhabai, her father-in-law, Govindsingh and her brother-in-law Sunil. These acts of cruelty were purportedly driven by a demand for Rs. 20,00,000/- to purchase a dumper truck. In an effort to satisfy these demands, informant claimed he had previously provided Rs. 5,00,000/- in cash to Bhagyashri's in-laws after pledging his gold ornaments. The situation escalated on 08.10.2025 when his wife received a phone call from Ishwarsingh Pardeshi who informed them that Bhagyashri's in-laws had murdered her by hanging.
3.
Upon arriving at the scene, informant and his family discovered Bhagyashri's body, which reportedly carry visible signs of physical assault. Based on this information, the police registered an offence against the in-laws of the deceased. 4.
The learned counsel for the applicants submits the applicants Rekhabai, Govindsingh and Sunil have been falsely implicated in the present crime based on vague and unsubstantiated allegations. The learned counsel further submits that the applicants never subjected the deceased to any form of cruelty or harassment, nor did ever demand the sum of Rs. 20,00,000/-. The prosecution's narrative regarding the prior payment of Rs. 5,00,000 is entirely concocted,z in any case, the
-3same is confined as against accused - husband, lacking any documentary evidence or proof of the transaction to support such a claim. The investigation is complete and the charge-sheet is also filed. Nothing remains to be recovered at the instance of present applicants. Hence, prayed to allow the application. 5.
The learned APP opposed the application, submitting that the offence is serious in nature and that there is sufficient material on record to establish the applicants' complicity. The prosecution prima facie establishes that the deceased Bhagyashri, was subjected to persistent physical and mental torture within just five years of her marriage. The learned APP further submits that the presence of visible signs of beating on the dead body, as noted by the complainant at the scene, strongly indictes that the deceased was subjected to brutal physical violence prior to her death. Furthermore, the APP argued that if the applicants are released on bail, there is every possibility of the prosecution evidence being tampered with. Accordingly, it was prayed that the application be rejected.
6.
Upon considering the submissions of both sides and perusing the material on record, including the charge-sheet, while the allegations involve the serious offence of a woman's death,
-4factors warrant the grant of bail to the present applicants. Admittedly, the marriage took place on 17.05.2020 and the unfortunate incident occurred on 08.10.2025. While the complainant has alleged persistent demands for Rs. 20,00,000 and the prior payment of Rs. 5,00,000, these claims presently rest solely on oral statements without corroborating documentary evidence and prima facie, pertinently the same is confined as against the accused / husband only.
7.
Admittedly, the applicants Rekhabai, Govindsingh and Sunil are the mother-in-law, father-in-law, and brother-in-law of the deceased respectively. The allegations leveled against them are largely general and omnibus in nature, lacking specific instances or individual overt acts attributed to each applicant. There appears to be a growing tendency to implicate the entire family of the husband in matrimonial disputes, and at this stage, it remains a matter of trial whether these specific relatives played a direct role in the alleged harassment.
8.
Nevertheless, the investigation is complete for all intent and purpose and the charge-sheet is filed. Having regard to the number of witnesses which the prosecution proposes to examine, it is very unlikely that the trial can be commenced and concluded
-5within a reasonable period. The arrest of the applicants has been effected on 09.10.2025 and since then, they were behind the bars. 9.
As such, further detention of the applicants as an under trial prisoner, in the circumstances of the case, does not seem to be either warranted or justifiable. I am, therefore, persuaded to exercise the discretion in favour of the applicants. The learned APP's apprehension about tampering with the prosecution evidence, can be adequately taken care of by imposing stringent conditions.
10.
Hence, the following order:
ORDER
(I) Application is allowed.
(II) Applicants - Rekhabai Govindsingh Rajput, Govindsingh Chagansing Rajput and Sunil Govindsingh Rajput be released on regular bail on furnishing P.R. bond of Rs. 50,000/- (Fifty Thousand Only) each with one or two local solvent sureties in the like amount, in Crime No. 284 of 2025 registered with Pahur Police Station, Dist. Jalgaon for the offences punishable under Sections 85, 80, 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, on the following conditions :-
-6- (a) The applicants shall attend each and every date of the Trial Court unless exempted by the Trial Court. (b) The applicants shall not pressurize the prosecution witnesses and shall not tamper with the prosecution evidence, in any manner.
(c) The applicants shall submit his Aadhar and Pan Card to the Investigation Officer and detailed addresses and phone numbers of applicant and two of the near relatives.
(d) Breach of any of the conditions by the applicants would entail the cancellation of the bail.
(III) Needless to states that the observations rendered herein are to the extent of this application and the trial court shall not be influenced by the same. (SACHIN S. DESHMUKH, J.) Omkar Joshi