Chetan Vasant Jawale vs State of Maharashtra — Bombay HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

Chetan Vasant Jawale vs State of Maharashtra — Bombay HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Petition partly allowed and disposed: petitioner permitted to travel to Georgia for one year to study at East-West University, Tbilisi, subject to a refundable Rs. 50,000/- security deposit in the trial Court; obligation to return to India within three weeks of expiry of the one-year period and report to the Investigating Officer; furnishing of an affidavit with itinerary/Georgia residence address(es)/contact number(s); and a self-attested copy of the passport filed before the Court of Session and also furnished to the Investigating Officer. Three-year continuous travel expressly not permitted. All concerned to act on an authenticated copy of the order.

Issue for consideration

Whether the petitioner — an accused in CR No. 189/2022 (Mundhwa Police Station), whose case is committed to the Court of Session though charge is yet to be framed — may be permitted to travel abroad to Georgia to pursue the One-Cycle Medical Doctor Educational Program “Medicine” at LLC East-West University, Tbilisi, Georgia. +1 more

Court's answer

In view of the petitioner having been permitted by this Court's earlier orders to travel abroad for education, and the trial in the Sessions Case being unlikely to conclude in the near future, the Court found the petitioner's prayer to travel abroad to pursue further education justifiable.

Ratio / Principle

The petitioner is permitted to travel to Georgia to pursue education at East-West University, Tbilisi, for a period of one year, subject to depositing an amount of Rs. 50,000/- in the trial Court as security.

Key takeaways

The petitioner cannot be permitted to travel to Georgia for pursuing education continuously for a period of three years; the permission is accordingly restricted to one year.ratio¶30
Condition of the grant: the petitioner shall return to India within three weeks of expiry of the period of one year from the date of the order and report to the Investigating Officer.ratio¶31
The petitioner will be entitled to refund of the security deposit after he returns to India and reports to the trial Court.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Bombay High Court (Criminal Appellate Jurisdiction), Writ Petition No. 18 of 2026 — oral order of Justice N. J. Jamadar dated 12 February 2026. Petitioner Chetan Vasant Jawale, arraigned in CR No. 189/2022 of Mundhwa Police Station for offences under Ss. 120-B, 307, 324, 201 IPC 1860, S. 4 r/w S. 25 Arms Act 1959 and S. 37(1)(3) r/w S. 135 Maharashtra Police Act 1951, case committed to Court of Session with charge yet unframed, earlier twice permitted to travel to the Philippines for study (orders dt. 24.03.2023 and 16.04.2024 in Criminal Writ Petition (Stamp) No. 4823/2024), sought leave to pursue the One-Cycle Medical Doctor Educational Program “Medicine” at East-West University, Tbilisi, Georgia. Court found the prayer justifiable given earlier permissions and the trial's unlikely early conclusion, but held the petitioner cannot be permitted to travel for three years at a stretch. Petition partly allowed and disposed: travel to Georgia permitted for one year only, subject to Rs. 50,000/- refundable security deposit in the trial Court, return to India within three weeks of expiry of the period and reporting to the Investigating Officer, affidavit of itinerary/residence/contact particulars, and self-attested passport copy furnished before the Court of Session and to the Investigating Officer.

12 WP 18-26.DOC

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

WRIT PETITION NO. 18 OF 2026

Chetan Vasant Jawale Versus

..Petitioner

State of Maharashtra …Respondents

Mr. Priyal Sarda, for the Petitioner. Smt. R S Tendulkar, APP for the Respondent-State. API – Ganesh Pinguwade, Mundhawa P. S., Pune.

CORAM: N. J. JAMADAR, J. DATE : 12^th FEBRUARY 2026

ORAL ORDER:

Heard the learned Counsel for the Petitioner.

By this petition, the petitioner seeks permission to travel

to Georgia for pursuing studies i.e. One-Cycle Medical Doctor Educational Program “Medicine” at LLC East - West University, Tbilisi, Georgia.

The petitioner is arraigned in CR No. 189/2022, registered with the Mundhwa Police Station for offences punishable under Sections 120-B, 307, 324 and 201 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, Section 4 r/w Section 25 of the Indian Arms Act, 1959, and Section 37(1)(3) r/w Section 135 of the Maharashtra Police

Act, 1951.

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SAINATH

12 WP 18-26.DOC

The case has been committed to the Court of Session. However, charge has yet not been framed.

The petitioner had earlier filed application seeking permission to travel abroad. By an order dated 24^th March, 2023, the petitioner was permitted to travel to Philippines to pursue education up to 31^st January, 2024.

The petitioner again applied for permission to travel to Philippines to pursue studies in University of Visayas, Cebu City, Philippines.

By an order dated 16^th April, 2024 in Criminal Writ Petition (Stamp) No. 4823/2024, the petitioner was permitted to travel to Philippines up to 31^st December, 2024.

The petitioner has now preferred this petition as the petitioner’s enrollment have been transferred to East-West University in Tbilisi, Georgia. A copy of the invitation letter issued by the East-West University, Tbilisi, Georgia is annexed to the petition. It appears that, the petitioner has been enrolled

at the East-West University’s One-Cycle Medical Doctor Educational Program “Medicine” by the Ministry of Education and Science, Georgia.

Since the petitioner was permitted to travel abroad to pursue education, by earlier orders, passed by this Court and

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SAINATH

12 WP 18-26.DOC

the trial in Sessions Case arising out of CR No. 857/2023 is unlikely to conclude in near future, the prayer of the petitioner to travel abroad to pursue further education appears justifiable.

However, the petitioner cannot be permitted to travel to Georgia for pursuing education for a period of three years, at a stretch.

The petition therefore stands partly allowed.

The petitioner is permitted to travel to Georgia to pursue education in East-West University, Tbilisi for a period of one year subject to depositing an amount of Rs. 50,000/- in the trial Court, by way of security. The petitioner shall return to India within three weeks of expiry of the period of one year from today and report to the Investigating Officer.

The petitioner will be entitled to refund of the security deposit after he returns to India and reports to the trial Court.

The petitioner shall also furnish, on an affidavit, the details of the itinerary, particularly the date on which the petitioner would return back to India, and the address/es at which the petitioner would be residing at Georgia and contact number/s thereat.

The petitioner shall also furnish a self attested copy of the passport alongwith the affidavit, before the Court of Session.

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SAINATH

12 WP 18-26.DOC

Copy of such affidavit and self-attested copy of the

passport be also furnished to the Investigating Officer.

The petition stands disposed.

All concerned to act on an authenticated copy of this

order.

[N. J. JAMADAR, J.]

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SAINATH