Sham Ashok Angre v. State Of Maharashtra And ANR

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CRIMINAL BAIL APPLICATION NO. 955 OF 2026 VAISHALI ANIL TIKAM Sham Ashok Angre ...Applicant

VERSUS

State Of Maharashtra And Anr.

...Respondents

by VAISHALI ANIL TIKAM Date:

2026.04.20 13:33:41 +0530 _________________________________________________________________ Mr. Shrirang Katheshwarkar a/w. Darshana Gurjar a/w. Mr. Sandeep Gupta i/by Yatish Desle, Advocate for Applicant. Mr. S.R. Agarkar, APP for Respondent-State.

Mr. Akshay Bankar i/by Ravi Asabe, Advocate for Respondent No.2. PSI I.N. Ghunawat, Ambad Police Station, Nashi 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. 710 of 2025 registered with Ambad Police Station, Dist. Nashik for the offence punishable under Sections 137(2), 64(1) of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and under Sections 4,8.12 of The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.

3.

It is prosecution's case that Applicant kidnapped the daughter of the first informant and sexually assaulted her.

4.

It is contention of learned counsel for the Applicant that there was love affair between applicant and first informant. There is delay in lodging the complaint. Applicant has no antecedents. Applicant is behind bars more than six months 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, who was 17 years and 3 months' old at the time of incident. So her consent is immaterial. 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 17 years and 3 months' old. Whereas Applicant was 19 years' old. It appears that there was love affair between them. There is delay in lodging the complaint. Applicant is behind bars for more than six months. He has no antecedents. It may take time to conclude the trial. 7.

Considering these facts, I pass following order: (i) The Applicant- Sham Ashok Angre be released on bail inCrime No. 710 of 2025 registered with Ambad Police Station, Dist. Nashik, 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.)