Ramesh Sundar Waghmare vs State of Maharashtra — Murder and Culpable Homicide | Bombay HC (2026)

Ramesh Sundar Waghmare vs State of Maharashtra — Murder and Culpable Homicide | Bombay HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Enlargement of the applicant on bail in Crime No. 901 of 2021 (Yavat Police Station, District Pune) on executing a P.R. Bond of Rs. 30,000/- with one or two sureties in the like amount; conditions: (ii) the applicant shall attend the concerned police station as and when required; (iii) the applicant shall not tamper with the evidence or attempt to influence or contact the complainant, witnesses or any person concerned with the case.

Issue for consideration

Whether the applicant, accused in Crime No. 901 of 2021 (Yavat Police Station, District Pune) under Sections 302 and 201 IPC, should be enlarged on regular bail. +1 more

Ratio / Principle

The applicant, detained for more than four years and four months with no progress in the trial and having no antecedents, was enlarged on bail in Crime No. 901 of 2021 on a P.R. Bond of Rs. 30,000/- with one or two sureties in the like amount, with conditions to attend the concerned police station as required and not to tamper with evidence or contact/influence the complainant, witnesses or others connected with the case.

Key takeaways

The prosecution's case is based on the applicant's extra-judicial confession; the Court expressly left the evidentiary value of that confession to be considered at the time of the trial and did not decide that point in this order.obiter¶19
All observations in the order are made only for the purpose of granting bail; the Trial Court shall decide the case on its own merits in accordance with law and uninfluenced by the observations in this order.obiter¶28

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Bail Application No. 5381 of 2024 (Bombay High Court, Criminal Appellate Jurisdiction) — Shivkumar Dige, J.; decided 16th February 2026. Ramesh Sundar Waghmare sought regular bail in Crime No. 901 of 2021, Yavat Police Station, District Pune, for offences under Sections 302 and 201 of the Indian Penal Code 1860 (alleged murder of his wife on 8th October 2021, burial of the body, and an extra-judicial confession to the first informant). Counsel for the applicant contended he had been incarcerated for over four years and four months with no progress in the trial and no recovery at his instance; the APP asserted the body was recovered at the applicant's instance and urged rejection. The Court held that the prosecution case rests on the extra-judicial confession whose evidentiary value is to be considered at trial; finding detention beyond four years and four months, absence of trial progress, and no antecedents, it enlarged the applicant on bail on a P.R. Bond of Rs. 30,000/- with one or two sureties in the like amount, conditioned on reporting to the concerned police station as required and abstaining from tampering with evidence or contacting/influencing the complainant, witnesses or persons connected with the case. All observations are expressly confined to the bail stage; the Trial Court is to decide uninfluenced by them. No precedent is cited in the order.

11-BA-5381-2024 (CR).doc

Shubhada S Kadam

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

BAIL APPLICATION NO. 5381 OF 2024

Ramesh Sundar Waghmare ...Applicant Versus

The State of Maharashtra

...Respondent

Mr. Vaibhav Chandshive, Advocate for Applicant. Mr. Prashant P. Jadhav, APP for Respondent-State. PSI-K. H. Wagai, Yavat Police Station, present.

CORAM : SHIVKUMAR DIGE, J. DATE : 16^h FEBRUARY, 2026.

P.C. :

By this application, the applicant is seeking regular bail in Crime No.901 of 2021 registered with Yavat Police Station, District Pune, for the offences punishable under Sections 302 and 201 of the Indian Penal Code 1860.

It is prosecution’s case that on 8th October 2021, the applicant murdered his wife and buried her body. He made an extra-judicial confession to the first informant about the crime committed by him.

It is contention of learned counsel for the applicant that the Digitally applicant is behind bars for more than four years and four months. There is signed by SHUBHADA SHUBHADA SHANKAR SHANKARKADAM KADAMDate: no progress in the trial. The prosecution case is based on the extra-judicial 2026.02.17 18:13:59 +0530

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11-BA-5381-2024 (CR).doc

Shubhada S Kadam

confession of the applicant. There is no recovery at the instance of the applicant. Hence, requested to allow the application.

It is contention of learned APP that the applicant murdered his wife on the ground of family dispute. He buried her body near the tent where the applicant was staying with the deceased. The dead body is recovered at the instance of the applicant. If the applicant is released on bail, he may abscond. Hence, requested to reject the application.

I have heard both learned counsel, perused charge sheet and documents produced on record. The prosecution’s case is based on the extra-judicial confession of the applicant. The evidentiary value of it, can be considered at the time of the trial. The applicant is behind bars for more than four years and four months. There is no progress in the trial. The applicant has no antecedents. Considering these facts, I pass following order:

ORDER

(i) The applicant be enlarged on bail in in Crime No.901 of 2021 registered with Yavat Police Station, District Pune, on executing P.R.Bond in the sum of Rs.30,000/- with one or two sureties in the like amount.

(ii) The applicant shall attend the concerned police station as and when required.

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(iii) The applicant shall not tamper with the evidence or attempt to influence or contact the complainant, witnesses or any person concerned with the case.

The application is allowed in the aforesaid terms and is accordingly disposed of.

It is made clear that the above observations are made only for the purpose of granting bail and the Trial Court shall decide the case on its own merits in accordance with law and uninfluenced by the observations made in this order.

All concerned to act on the authenticated copy of this order.

(SHIVKUMAR DIGE, J.)

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