Sohail Hanif Shaikh v. The State Of Maharashtra And ANR

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CRIMINAL BAIL APPLICATION NO. 52 OF 2026 Sohail Hanif Shaikh ...Applicant

VERSUS

The State Of Maharashtra And Anr

...Respondents

VAISHALI ANIL TIKAM _________________________________________________________________ by VAISHALI ANIL TIKAM Date:

2026.04.20 13:36:15 +0530 Mr. Ravishankar B. Thombare, Advocate for Applicant. Mr. M.G. Patil, APP for Respondent-State.

Ms. Nikita Bothara (thr. VC), Advocate for Respondent No.2. PSI Shaikh Altaf, Hadapsar Police Station, Pune present. _________________________________________________________________

CORAM

: SHIVKUMAR DIGE, J.

DATE : 16th APRIL, 2026.

P.C. :

1.

Heard learned counsel for the Applicant, learned APP for the State and learned counsel for Respondent No.2. 2.

By this Application, the Applicant is seeking regular bail in Crime No. 292 of 2025 registered with Hadapsar Police Station for the offence punishable under Sections 64, 71, 351(2) of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita and under Sections 4,5,6,8 and 12 of the The Protections of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.

3.

It is prosecution's case that Applicant sexually assaulted the first informant on various occasions by threatening her. 4.

It is contention of learned counsel for the Applicant that there

was love affair between applicant and first informant. At the time of incident, the first informant was more than 17 years and 11 months' old. Whereas Applicant was 21 years' old. There is delay in lodging the complaint. Applicant is behind bars for more than one year. He has no antecedents and requested to allow the application. 5.

It is contention of learned APP along with learned counsel for Respondent No.2 that Applicant sexually assaulted the victim by threatening her. He viraled her photographs. He submits that if applicant is released on bail, he may abscond or threaten the victim and prosecution witnesses and requested to reject the application. 6.

I have heard all learned counsel. Perused the charge-sheet and documents produced on record. At the time of incident, victim was more than 17 years and 11 months' old. Applicant was 21 years' old. There is delay in lodging the complaint. Applicant is behind bars for more than one year. He has no antecedents. It may take time to conclude the trial. 7.

Considering these facts, I pass following order: (i) The Applicant- Sohail Hanif Shaikh be released on bail in Crime No. 292 of 2025 registered with Hadapsar Police Station, Dist. Pune, on furnishing PR bond of Rs.25,000/- with one or two solvent sureties in the like amount.

(ii) The Applicant shall not tamper with the evidence and/or

influence the prosecution witnesses.

(iii) The Trial Court shall decide the case on its own merits and in accordance with law, uninfluenced by the observations made in this order. (iv) The Applicant shall attend the concerned Police Station as and when required.

(v) Application is allowed in the aforesaid terms. (SHIVKUMAR DIGE, J.)