Suraj Devidas Ugalmugale vs the State of… — Murder and Culpable Homicide | Bombay HC (2026)

Suraj Devidas Ugalmugale vs the State of… — Murder and Culpable Homicide | Bombay HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Petition disposed off with directions: the Prison Authority at Latur to ensure proper WiFi connectivity for the Petitioner's uninterrupted participation in his trial through V.C. mode, and the Prison Authorities to comply with any direction of the trial Court for the Petitioner's presence in the Nashik Court; re-transfer to Nashik Central Jail not entertained.

Issue for consideration

Whether the under-trial Petitioner, transferred from Nashik Central Jail to Latur District Jail, should be re-transferred to Nashik Central Jail or otherwise enabled to fully participate in his ongoing trial before the District Judge-6, Additional Sessions Court, Nashik, given deficient audio-visual connectivity in V.C. mode.

Court's answer

In matters of prisoner transfer applications, discretion has to be exercised considering the prevailing circumstances; where attending circumstances do not justify a transfer and are likely to create further risk, such transfer application need not be entertained.

Ratio / Principle

The Prison Authority at Latur is directed to ensure proper WiFi connectivity to enable the Petitioner to have an uninterrupted participation in his trial through the V.C. mode.

Key takeaways

If the trial Court finds it appropriate to direct the presence of the Petitioner in the Nashik Court, the Prison Authorities would ensure that such direction is complied with.ratio¶¶22

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Under-trial prisoner (trial under Ss.302, 307, 324, 498-A and 34 IPC before District Judge-6, Additional Sessions Court, Nashik), transferred from Nashik Central Jail to Latur District Jail vide DIG's order dated 18.12.2024 after fights with co-inmates, sought re-transfer/full participation in his trial; his re-transfer request had been rejected by the Special IG (Prisons) citing enmity with Nashik co-inmates, his aggressive nature and Special Cell custody, and security/transportation concerns. Held: in such matters discretion must be exercised considering prevailing circumstances, and a transfer application need not be entertained where attending circumstances do not justify it and are likely to create further risk. Petition disposed off with a direction that the Latur Prison Authority ensure proper WiFi connectivity for uninterrupted video-conference participation in the trial, and that any trial Court direction for the Petitioner's physical presence in the Nashik Court be complied with.

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

CRIMINAL WRIT PETITION NO.902 OF 2026

Suraj Devidas Ugalmugale .. Petitioner Vs. The State of Maharashtra .. Respondent

Mr. Veerdhaval Kakade, Appointed Advocate for the Petitioner. Mrs. M.M. Deshmukh, Additional Public Prosecutor for the RespondentState of Maharashtra.

CORAM : RAVINDRA V. GHUGE, ACJ. & GAUTAM A. ANKHAD, J. DATE : 15^TH JUNE, 2026.

P.C. :

This Petition is registered on a handwritten original letter (2 pages) dated 4^th December, 2025 received by the Registrar of this Court, from the Petitioner who is an under-trial prisoner at the Latur District Jail, Class-1.

The learned Advocate Shri Veerdhaval Kakade has been appointed through the Legal Services Authority to represent the Petitioner. He points out from the original letter written by the Petitioner that he is facing a trial for an offence punishable under Sections 302, 307, 324, 498-A and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. The criminal case is now before the District Judge-6, Additional Sessions Court, Nashik in an

on-going trial.

20-WP-902-2026.odt

Digitally signed by SNEHA SNEHA ABHAY ABHAY DIXITDate: DIXIT 2026.06.1710:22:46 +0530

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The learned Advocate further points out that the Petitioner accidentally got into a fight with co-inmates in the Nashik Central Jail, where he was initially lodged. Because of the fight, he has been transferred to the Latur District Jail vide order dated 18^th December, 2024, passed by the DIG. He desires to participate in the trial and is not able to have a full participation in view of the deficiency in the audio and visual connectivity through the V.C. mode.

The learned Additional Public Prosecutor has placed on record a compilation of documents (11 pages), which is collectively marked as ‘X’ for identification. She points out that the Petitioner had assaulted other inmates in the Nashik Central Jail. Considering his conduct and the frequent fights, the Petitioner has been transferred to the Latur District Jail.

She further submits that the request application of the Petitioner for being re-transferred to the Nashik Central Jail has been considered by the present Special IG (Prisons) and he has rejected the application of the Petitioner by assigning reasons. One of the reasons is that the Petitioner had developed some enmity with the co-inmates in Nashik Central Jail and had entered into physical fights with them. Those inmates would now become a threat to the Petitioner. So also, the

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Petitioner has been kept in a Special Cell at Latur considering his aggressive nature. Re-transferring him to Nashik Central Jail would involve high security and transportation and if the same incidents occur at Nashik Central Jail, the Authorities will have to re-consider their decision.

We find that in such matters, discretion has to be exercised considering the prevailing circumstances. If there are such attending circumstances which do not justify a transfer and which are likely to create further risk, such transfer application need not be entertained.

In view of the above, this Petition is disposed off . We would only record that the Prison Authority at Latur would ensure proper WiFi connectivity to enable the Petitioner to have an uninterrupted participation in his trial through the V.C. mode. It is only in certain circumstances that if the trial Court finds it appropriate to direct the presence of the Petitioner in the Nashik Court, the Prison Authorities would ensure that such direction is complied with.

[ GAUTAM A. ANKHAD, J. ] [ ACTING CHIEF JUSTICE ]

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