Sunilkumar Mohanan Akkarakaran And ANR v. State Of Maharashtra

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY

CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO.1542 OF 2026 Sunilkumar Mohanan Akkarakaran And Anr ... Petitioners Versus.

State Of Maharashtra ... Respondent ----- SHARADA RANGNATH WAHULE Mr. Ankit Trivedi a/w Mr. Abhishek Yende a/w H. Vyashi i/b Yende Legal Associates, Advocate for the Petitioners. Ms. A.S. Gotad, APP for the State.

SHARADA RANGNATH WAHULE Date: 2026.04.09 19:35:31 +0530 -------

CORAM

: ASHWIN D. BHOBE, J.

DATED : 6th April 2026 P.C.:

1.

Mr. Ankit Trivedi, learned Advocate for the Petitioners and Ms. A.S. Gotad, learned APP for the State.

2.

The Applicants are Accused Nos. 1 and 2 in Crime bearing C.R. Nos. 242/2019, 273/2019, 329/2019, 367/2019, 370/2019, 381/2019, 453/2019 and 958/2019. The said crimes are registered as SPL Cases bearing Nos. 294/2020, 148/2025, 239/2025, 386/2025, 455/2025, 658/2025, 675/2025 and 768/2025 and pending on the file of the Special MPID Court No.5 at Thane.

3.

The grievance of the Petitioners in this Petition is that their bail applications, filed on 6th December 2025, are still pending before the

Special MPID Court and have not yet been disposed of. Accordingly, the Petitioners seek the substantive relief as specified in prayer clauses (a) and (b), which are outlined below.

"a.

Direct the Learned Special MPID Court No.5 at Thane to expeditiously pronounce orders on the Bail Applications filed by the Petitioners in the clubbed cases arising out of SPL Cases bearing Nos.294/2020, 148/2025, 239/2025, 386/2025, 455/2025, 658/2025, 675/2020 and 768/2025.

b.

Direct that the said bail applications be decided within a time-bound period as this Hon'ble Court may deem fit and proper".

4.

Ms. A.S. Gotad, learned APP for the State, submits that bail applications are required to be considered expeditiously. 5.

The Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of Annna Waman Bhalerao Vs. State of Maharashtra1 in Paragraph No.18 has given the following directions:- "a) High Court shall ensure that applications for bail and anticipatory bail pending before them or before the subordinate courts under their jurisdiction are disposed of expeditiously, preferably within a period of two months from the date of filing, except in cases where delay is attributable to the parties themselves.

b) High Court shall issue necessary administrative 2025 SCC OnLine SC 1974

directions to subordinate courts to prioritise matters involving personal liberty and to avoid indefinite adjournments.

c) Investigating agencies are expected to conclude investigations in long-pending cases with promptitude so that neither the complainant nor the accused suffers prejudice on account of undue delay.

d) Being the highest constitutional for a in the States, High Court must devise suitable mechanisms and procedures to avoid accumulation of pending bail/ anticipatory bail applications and ensure that the liberty of citizens is not left in abeyance. In particular, bail and anticipatory bail applications shall not be kept pending for long durations without passing orders either way, as such pendency directly impinges upon the fundamental right to liberty".

6.

Mr. Ankit Trivedi, learned Advocate for the Petitioners, submits that the next date fixed before the Special MPID Court is on 10th April, 2026.

7.

Considering the statement made by Mr. Ankit Trivedi that the bail applications filed by the Applicants on 6th December, 2025, are still pending, the Special MPID Court is requested to make an endeavour to dispose of the said Bail Applications expeditiously and at the latest, within two (2) months from 10th April 2026.

8.

Mr. Ankit Trivedi, learned Advocate for the Petitioners, states that no adjournments will be sought by the Petitioners.

9.

Mr. Anklit Trivedi states that this order will be placed before the Special MPID Court on 10th April, 2026.

10.

This Writ Petition No.1542 of 2026 is disposed of. ( ASHWIN D. BHOBE, J.)