Pradip Alias Dipak Sunil Haribhakt v. State Of Maharashtra And ANR.
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CIRCUIT BENCH AT KOLHAPUR CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CRIMINAL BAIL APPLICATION NO. 82 OF 2026 Pradip Alias Dipak Sunil Haribhakt
VERSUS
State of Maharashtra And Anr.
...
Mr. Omkar C. Tole, Mr. Shivraj Chavan, advocate for the applicant Mr. Anand S. Shalgaonkar APP for the State ...
CORAM : SACHIN S. DESHMUKH, J.
DATE : 12th MARCH, 2026.
P. C. :
1.
The applicant seeks regular bail in connection with C.R. No. 461/2024 dated 17/07/2024 registered with Karmala Police Station, District Solapur, for the offences punishable under Sections 103, 333, 3(5) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. 2.
The prosecution case is that, on 16.07.2024, some unknown persons arrived in front of their house carrying sickles (sharp weapons). Noticing this, the complainant along with her daughter and grandson went inside one room and bolted the door from inside. The persons outside forcefully pushed the door and broke the latch. Three persons entered the house. One of them pushed the Digitally signed by SAJAKALI LIYAKAT JAMADAR Date:
2026.03.12 20:58:46 +0530 SAJAKALI LIYAKAT JAMADAR 1 of
complainant. The other two persons snatched the child from the hands of her daughter and threw him towards the complainant. Thereafter, with the sickles in their hands, they struck informants' daughter on the head from behind and caused serious injuries to her. Due to the severe bleeding from head, she collapsed on the ground. Even thereafter, two persons continued assaulting her with sickles. After committing the assault, all of them fled from the spot after bolting the door of the room from outside. Thereafter, the police arrived at the spot and took the body of the complainant's daughter to Cottage Hospital, Karmala.
The complainant further states that her daughter had an illicit relationship with Salim Sayyad from their village. Therefore, the complainant suspects that Salim Sayyad, along with Bibhishan Matre and Devidas Matre, may have committed the murder of her daughter. Hence, the report.
3.
Learned counsel for the applicant submits that the arrest of the applicant is based on the statement of the co-accused which is of no evidentiary value. It is further submitted that the co-accused, namely, Sunil Shinde has been admitted to bail by this Court in Criminal Bail Application No. 867/2025. In that view of the matter, 2 of
the applicant deserves to be admitted to bail even on the ground of parity.
4.
Per contra, the learned A.P.P. has vehemently opposed the application submitting that the complicity of the applicant is apparent inasmuch as this is a case of contract killing and that the applicant has been identified in a test identification parade, which disentitles him from being admitted to bail.
5.
Upon hearing the learned counsel for the applicant and the learned A.P.P., prima facie it appears that the arrest of the applicant has been effected on the basis of the statement of the co-accused, and in so far as the conducting of the test identification parade is concerned, the veracity of the same is a subject matter of the trial. In that view of the matter, and apart from the aforesaid aspects, since the role of the present applicant is at par with that of the coaccused Sunil, who has been admitted to bail by this Court, accordingly, applicant deserves to be released on bail on the ground of parity.
O R D E R
I.
The bail application is allowed.
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II.
Applicant Pradip Alias Dipak Sunil Haribhakt be released on bail, on furnishing P.R. bond in the sum of Rs.50,000/- (Rs.Fifty Thousand) with one or two local solvent sureties, in the like amount, in connection with C.R. No. 461/2024 dated 17/07/2024 registered with Karmala Police Station, District Solapur, for the offences punishable under Sections 103, 333, 3(5) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, on the following conditions :- (a) The applicant shall not pressurize the prosecution witnesses and tamper with the prosecution evidence, in any manner.
(b) The applicant shall appear before the trial on each and every date unless exempted by the concerned Court. (c) The applicant shall submit Aadhar and Pan Cards to the Investigating Officer and detailed address and phone numbers and two of the near relatives.
(d) In case of breach of any of the conditions by the applicant, it is open for the Prosecution to approach the concerned Court seeking cancellation of bail, notwithstanding the fact that this Court has granted bail.
III.
Needless to state that the observations rendered herein are to the extent of this application and the trial Court shall not be influenced by the same.
[SACHIN S. DESHMUKH, J.] 4 of