Dhananjay Prabhakarrao Deshmukh v. State of Maharashtra Thr. Pso, Khadan, Akola and Anr.
Case brief
What is this about?
Anticipatory bail; ad-interim protection; ABA No.118 of 2025; Bombay High Court Nagpur Bench; Urmila Joshi-Phalke J.; Dhananjay Prabhakarrao Deshmukh v. State of Maharashtra; Crime No.137/2025 PS Khadan Akola; S.74 and S.78 Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023; S.8 and S.12 POCSO Act; S.23(2) Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam; Satender Kumar Antil (2022) 10 SCC 51 relied on; custodial interrogation not required; mobile phone production treated as custody; teacher accused of sending obscene messages to 16-year-old student; PR bond Rs.25,000/-; weekly police station attendance; no witness tampering; State reply awaited; stand over two weeks.
What did the court decide?
Ad-interim anticipatory bail granted in the event of arrest in Crime No.137/2025 (PS Khadan, Akola): release on PR bond of Rs.25,000/- with one solvent surety of the like amount; applicant to produce his mobile phone before the Investigating Officer, such period to count as custody under S.23(2) Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam; to attend the police station once weekly on Monday between 10.00 a.m. and 1.00 p.m. and cooperate with the investigating agency; not to induce, threaten or promise witnesses physically or through electronic media. Learned APP waived notice for the State and sought time to file reply; matter stood over after two weeks (interim protection only; final decision pending).