Rahul Eknath Katkar v. State Of Maharashtra
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION ANTICIPATORY BAIL APPLICATION NO.2627 OF 2025 Rahul Eknath Katkar ...Applicant
Versus
The State of Maharashtra
...Respondent
Mr. Ganesh Bhujbal, for the Applicant.
Mr. A. R. Metkari, APP, for the Respondent-State.
CORAM:
MADHAV J. JAMDAR, J.
DATED :
23rd SEPTEMBER 2025 PC:- 1.
Heard Mr. Bhujbal, learned Counsel appearing for the Applicants and Mr. Metkari, learned APP appearing for the Respondent-State.
2.
This application is filed under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 ("BNSS") seeking pre-arrest bail in connection with C.R. No.576 of 2025 registered with Chakan Police Station, Pimpri-Chinchwad, for the offences punishable under Sections 118(1), 118(2), 115(2), 352 and 3(5) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 ("BNS").
3.
The Applicant i.e. Accused No.3 has filed Criminal Bail Application No.531 of 2025 seeking anticipatory bail before the learned Additional Sessions Judge, Khed-Rajgurunagar, Pune and the said application has been rejected by Order dated 8th September 2025. The prosecution case is set out in Paragraph No.3 of the said Order dated 8th September 2025 passed by the learned Additional Sessions Judge, Khed-Rajgurunagar, Pune, which reads as under :
"3. The informant Rajesh Hanumant Katkar lodged an FIR with Chakan police station alleging therein that incident in question took place on 12/08/2025 at about 11.30 pm. According to informant, applicant and his associates belongs to brotherhood. There is land dispute going on between them and having regard that civil litigation is pending in the Court of law. On the fateful day of incident, the informant had spotted one JCB in the agricultural land of him. The said JCB was digging in the land of informant. Therefore, he went there and questioned the operator of JCB not to do anything in their land. At that time, the person namely Bharat Sopan Katkar standing there came to him and slapped him. Thereafter the informant called his elder brother Prashant Katkar by making phone call.
Accordingly, he came and questioned Bharat Katkar about beating the informant. At the said place, applicant, Bharat Sopan Katkar, Rajendra Sopan Katkar and Swapnil Eknath Katkar were standing noticing the situation. They started hurling abuses them.
him injured. The informant while intervening the said incident, Bharat Katkar assaulted the informant by stone. By noticing the said incident, mother of informant namely Anjana Katkar came there to whom the associates of the applicant allegedly assaulted by hands. Thereafter the informant and his brother came to home and as they sustained injuries, they went to Chakan Police Station and therefrom they were referred to Rural Hospital, Chakan for medical examination. According to informant, the present applicant and his associates in furtherance of their common intention, armed with deadly weapons voluntarily caused grievous to informant and witness with threat of dire consequences to their life. Hence, this report." 4.
Perusal of the prosecution case shows that a sudden fight has taken place between the two groups and there is a cross FIR. There are a total of four Accused. One co-Accused has already been granted anticipatory bail by the learned Additional Sessions Judge, Khed-Rajgurunagar, Pune and another co-accused - Bharat Katkar has been granted Anticipatory Bail by this Court by order dated 17th September 2025. There are no criminal antecedents against the Applicant.
5.
Mr. Bhujbal, learned Counsel for the Applicant, on instructions, states that the Applicant will cooperate with the investigation.
6.
Accordingly, the case is made out for grant of Anticipatory Bail. In view thereof, the following order is passed:
O R D E R
(a) In the event of arrest of the Applicant-Rahul Eknath Katkar in connection with C.R. No.576 of 2025 registered with Chakan Police Station, PimpriChinchwad, the Applicant is directed to be released on bail on his furnishing P.R. Bond in the sum of Rs.30,000/- with one or two solvent sureties in the like amount.
(b) The Applicant shall attend the concerned Police Station on 6th October 2025, 7th October 2025 and 8th October 2025 between 11:00 a.m. to 02:00 p.m. and thereafter as and when called by the Investigating Officer till filing of the chargesheet and shall cooperate with the investigation. (c) The Applicant shall furnish his cell phone number and residential address to the Investigating Officer and shall keep the same updated, in case of any change thereto.
(d) The Applicant shall not directly or indirectly make any inducement, threat, or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade such a person from disclosing the facts to the Court or to any Police personnel.
(e) The Applicant shall not tamper with the prosecution evidence and shall not contact or influence the Complainant or any witness in any manner.
7.
The Anticipatory Bail Application is disposed of accordingly. [MADHAV J. JAMDAR, J.]