Raj Chandrakant Jadhav v. State Of Maharashtra And ANR

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY

CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION BAIL APPLICATION NO. 1950 OF 2025 Raj Chandrakant Jadhav ... Applicant

Versus

The State Of Maharashtra And Anr.

... Respondents ----- Mr. Premkumar Mishra a/w Kumar Subheswar, Siraj Sheikh, Vrushabh Deshmane i/b S. B. Dahiphale, for the Applicant. Mrs. Shilpa Talhar, APP for the Respondent - State. API Basvaraj Mali, Parvati @ Dattawadi Police Station, Pune City, is present.

------ CORAM : ASHWIN D. BHOBE, J.

DATE : 10th June, 2026.

P.C. :

1.

Heard Mr. Premkumar Mishra, learned Advocate for the Applicant and Mrs. Shilpa Talhar, learned APP for the Respondent - State.

2.

By the present Bail Application filed under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, the Applicant seeks bail in C.R. No. 0141 of 2023, dated 24.05.2023, registered with Dattawadi Police Station, Pune City, for offences punishable under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860.

3.

There were initially three accused in C.R. No. 0141 of 2023. The Applicant (Raj Chandrakant Jadhav) is Accused No. 1, Amin Guljar Tamboli is Accused No. 2 (Child in Conflict with Law) and Samir @ Virendra Pandurang Choure is Accused No. 3. 4.

Case of the prosecution is that on 24.05.2023, Ajinkya Sunil More (Informant) lodged a complaint that his father (Sunil Vitthal More) was found lying in a pool of blood near Dandekar Bridge, Golden Villa Bar. Based on the CCTV footage, all three accused were apprehended.

5.

By order dated 15.07.2023, passed by the Judicial Magistrate First Class, Court Room No. 2, in C.R. No. 141 of 2023, the Application filed under Section 169 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, by Respondent No. 1 was allowed. Consequently, Accused No. 3 (Sameer @ Virendra Pandurang Choure) was discharged in C.R. No. 141 of 2023.

6.

C.R. No. 141 of 2023 is registered as Sessions Case No. 998 of 2023 and is pending before the Court of the Additional Sessions Judge, Pune (Sessions Court).

7.

Applicant was arrested on 27.05.2023 and remains in jail. The Bail Application at Exhibit No. 2, filed by the Applicant in Sessions Case No. 998 of 2023, was dismissed by the Sessions Court on 02.12.2024.

8.

Mr. Premkumar Mishra, learned Advocate for the Applicant, submits that the material on record, at best, shows that the Applicant and Accused No. 2 assaulted Sameer @ Virendra Pandurang Choure and not the deceased (Sunil Vitthal More). He submits that Accused No. 3 has neither lodged any grievance of assault nor filed any complaint against the Applicant. He submits that there is no material on record linking the Applicant to the murder of Sunil Vitthal More. He submits that the Applicant has no criminal antecedents. He further submits that the charge in Sessions Case No. 998 of 2023 is not framed as on date. 9.

Mrs. Shilpa Talhar, learned APP for the Respondent - State, by referring to the transcript of the CCTV footage dated 25.05.2023 (at page 49 of the Application paper book), fairly states that the CCTV footage recorded the Applicant and Accused No. 2 pelting stones at Sameer @ Virendra Pandurang Choure,

who was initially made Accused No. 3.

10.

Perused the records.

11.

The CCTV transcript, forming part of the Chargesheet, shows that the CCTV footage captured the Applicant and Accused No. 2 pelting stones at Sameer @ Virendra Pandurang Choure. One of the witnesses (Ganesh Ashok Jagtap) has stated that the Applicant and Accused No. 2 were pelting stones at Sameer @ Virendra Pandurang Choure.

12.

Prima facie, there is no material on record to show the complicity of the Applicant in the murder of Sunil Vitthal More. 13.

Charge in Sessions Case No 998 of 2023 has not been framed as on date. The prosecution has enlisted 38 witnesses as submitted by Mr. Premkumar Mishra, learned Advocate for the Applicant, as such, there is no likelihood that the trial in Sessions Case No 998 of 2023 will conclude in the near future. The Applicant is in jail for almost 3 years.

14.

In view of the above circumstances, continuation of the

Applicant in jail pending trial of Sessions Case No. 998 of 2023 is not warranted.

15.

The Applicant is therefore entitled to Bail on the following conditions :- (a) The Applicant in CR No. 0141 of 2023, dated 24.05.2023, registered with Dattawadi Police Station, Pune City, shall be released on bail upon furnishing a PR bond of Rs. 50,000/- (Rupees Fifty Thousand only) with one or two local sureties in the like amount to the satisfaction of the Additional Sessions Judge, Pune in Sessions Case No. 998 of 2023.

(b) Applicant shall not, directly or indirectly, make any inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case to dissuade such person from disclosing the facts to the Court or any police officer. Applicant shall not tamper with evidence in any manner.

(c) The Applicant shall provide the Investigating Officer with his residential address and proof thereof, his contact number, email and must inform the Investigating Officer of any changes to this information from time to time.

(d) Applicant shall regularly appear before the Additional Sessions Judge, Pune in Sessions Case No. 998 of 2023 whenever the matter is fixed, unless specifically exempted.

16.

The observations made in the present order are meant for the purpose of deciding the Bail Application and would not have any impact or effect on the trial.

17.

Bail Application No. 1950 of 2025 is disposed of. (ASHWIN D. BHOBE, J.) Digitally signed by ARJUN KRISHNA RODGE Date:

2026.06.10 21:00:08 +0530 ARJUN KRISHNA RODGE