Sohail Salim Ansari v. The State Of Maharashtra

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY

CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CRI-INTERIM APPLICATION NO. 1723 OF 2025 IN CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 410 OF 2022 Sohail Salim Ansari ...Applicant

Versus

The State Of Maharashtra

...Respondent

__________ Adv. Prashant Pandey a/w Ridhina Mangaonkar i/b W3 Legal LLP, for the Applicant.

Ms. Prajakta P. Shinde, APP.

__________ CORAM :

G. S. KULKARNI & ADVAIT M. SETHNA, JJ.

DATE :

02 MAY 2025 P.C :

1.

Not on board. Taken on board.

2.

This is an interim application praying for interim bail in the aforesaid appeal filed by the applicant/appellant. 3.

The applicant stands convicted for the offence punishable under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code and has been sentenced to suffer imprisonment for life in the proceedings of Session Case No. 44 of 2015 as directed by the learned Sessions Judge, Dindoshi, Mumbai. The applicant contends that he is pursuing the five year LLB course, and had earlier appeared for the LLB CET examination, for which he was released on interim bail vide order dated 24 May 2024, passed in Interim Application No. 4576 of 2023. It is the applicant's case that he has already

undergone sentence of 11 years till date. He would submit that in respect of his being released on bail/furlough in the past, there were no defaults on his part whatsoever. It is also his case that his conduct in custody has been considered to be exemplary.

4.

We are informed that the LLB examination for the first year is to commence from 7 May 2025 and would conclude on 14 May 2025. It is contended that the admission cards/hall ticket for the examination are ready for distribution and which were scheduled to be collected from today. It is in these circumstances that the applicant has prayed for grant of interim bail.

5.

We have heard the learned counsel for the applicant and the learned APP. We have considered the averments as made in the application. We have also perused the previous orders passed by this Court dated 24 May 2024 and 18 March 2025 granting interim bail. In this view of the matter, we are of the opinion that the cause of the applicant so as to prepare and appear for the said examination, needs to be accepted. We are accordingly inclined to grant interim bail in terms of the following order :-

ORDER

i) The applicant shall be released on temporary cash bail of Rs. 15,000/- to be deposited before the trial court for the period from 3 May 2025 to 15 May 2025 .

ii) The applicant shall surrender before Chatrapati Sambhajiraje

Open Jail, Paithan on 15 May 2025.

iv) The learned APP shall immediately communicate the aforesaid order to the concerned Superintendent of the said Paithan Jail, so as to enable compliance with the order.

v) In the event the applicant does not surrender on 15 May 2025, liberty to the learned APP to move the present proceedings before the appropriate vacation Court for further appropriate orders to be passed.

vi) The interim application stands disposed of in the aforesaid terms. vi) Parties to act on authenticated copy of this order. [ADVAIT M. SETHNA, J.] [G. S. KULKARNI, J.]