Allowed

Sunita Navnath Sonawane v. the State of Maharashtra

Bombay HC16 Nov 2021ABA/1179/2021

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

The High Court granted anticipatory bail and confirmed absolute an earlier ad-interim protection for the applicant, finding that no custodial interrogation was necessary since the applicant had already complied with a prior direction to appear before the police and hand over evidence.

What did the court decide?

Anticipatory bail allowed and ad-interim protection from 7th May 2021 confirmed and made absolute.

Sunita Navnath Sonawane Vs the State of Maharashtra — Anticipatory Bail | Bombay HC (2021)

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14-aba-1179-2021.odt

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REKHA PRAKASH PATIL

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Digitally signed by REKHA PRAKASH PATIL Date: 2021.11.16 18:19:36 +0530

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

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ANTICIPATORY BAIL APPLICATION NO. 1179 OF 2021

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Sunita Navnath Sonawane…Applicant
Versus

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The State of Maharashtra …Respondents

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WITH

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INTERIM APPLICATION NO. 2422 OF 2021 IN

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ANTICIPATORY BAIL APPLICATION NO. 1179 OF 2021

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Ramdas Baban Gaikwad …Applicant

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IN THE MATTER BETWEEN

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Sunita Navnath Sonawane…Applicant
Versus
The State of Maharashtra …Respondents

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Mr. Nitesh Mohite i/b Mr. Satyavrat Joshi, for the Applicant.
Mr. H. J. Dedhia, APP, for the State-Respondent.

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Mr. Ganesh Bhujbal, for the Intervener in IA No. 2422 of 2021.

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CORAM : V. G. BISHT, J.

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 DATE : 16th November, 2021.

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PC:

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The applicant is seeking Anticipatory Bail in connection with C.R.
No. 148 of 2021 registered with Shirur Police Station, District- Pune
Gramin, for the offences punishable under Sections 306, 384, 506 r/w
34 of the Indian Penal Code.

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Rekha Patil 1/3

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14-aba-1179-2021.odt

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2The prosecution has come up with a case that on 8th March, 2021
one Amol Gaikwad committed suicide by hanging to a rafter in his
house. On 11th March, 2021, his uncle, namely, Ramdas Baban Gaikwad
lodged a report that deceased was working on a crusher and was
supplying daily needs of workers working on a crusher. According to
prosecution, the applicant was running footwear shop and the deceased
used to visit her shop for purchasing footwear for workers.

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3The prosecution next alleges that the applicant used to solicit
sexual favours from the deceased and also demand moneys. She also
had threatened him that she would implicate him under Section 376 of
the Indian Penal Code and because of this deceased was required to pay
moneys to her.

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4On the other hand, it is the case of the applicant that it was
deceased, who used to call upon the applicant at odd hours and used to
send whatsapp messages and video call. In fact, it was the deceased
who was demanding the sexual favours from the applicant.

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5 Heard learned Counsel for the Applicant and learned APP.

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6 On going through the record, it is seen that the present application had come up for hearing through video conferencing on 7^th

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Rekha Patil 2/3

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14-aba-1179-2021.odt

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May, 2021 before the Court (Coram: Smt. Sadhana S. Jadhav) and while
granting ad-interim protection this Court directed the applicant to
appear before the Investigating Officer and hand over the pen drive.

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7 Learned APP submits that pursuant to the said order not only the applicant attended the police station but also handed over the pen drive to the Investigating Officer. Investigating Officer is also present.

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8 In view of above, in my considered opinion, there is no necessity

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of custodial interrogation of the applicant. Hence, the following order.

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ORDER

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(i) Application is allowed.

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(ii)Ad-interim protection granted by this Court on 7th May,
2021 is confirmed and made absolute.

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(iii)Application stands disposed of accordingly.

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(iv)In view of the order passed in Anticipatory Bail Application
No. 1179 of 2021, Interim Application does not survive and the
same is disposed of accordingly.

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 (V. G. BISHT, J.)

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Rekha Patil 3/3

Sunita Navnath Sonawane v. the State of Maharashtra

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

Sunita Navnath Sonawane v. the State of Maharashtra

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

What the court decided

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