High court rejects Suresh Bijlani's bail application
Builder Suresh Bijlani, suspected for his involvement in the murder of Navi Mumbai builder Sunil Kumar Loharia, failed to get anticipatory bail from the Bombay high court on Monday.
Builder Suresh Bijlani, suspected for his involvement in the murder of Navi Mumbai builder Sunil Kumar Loharia, failed to get anticipatory bail from the Bombay high court on Monday.
The state government opposed his plea as he is a prime suspect in the murder of Loharia, who was shot and stabbed to death on February 16 outside his office.
Bijlani, who is currently on the run, had stated, in his application, that he was served with a notice by the Vashi police that directed him not to leave Navi Mumbai and to come to the police station for questioning as he is a suspect.
The application further states that he, along with the other suspects, including one of his associates, had attended the inquiry.
The following day he had moved the Thane court for anticipatory bail, but failed to get it.
Bijlani said he has no role in the case, especially as the accused had named Amolik. He argued that merely being a suspect did not require custodial interrogation.
He said the claim by the victim's family members, that the murderer was another builder and not Amolik, cannot be a ground for arrest. Except for the FIR and the statement of one of the accused, there is nothing else that implicates him.
Public prosecutor Revati Dere and Usha Kejriwal opposed the bail application and said there was an oral dying declaration by the victim that named some builders.
Police found that the call detail records of Shettiar's mobile revealed he was in touch with Amolik, while the latter's call details show he was in contact with Bijlani and his associate.
Following the arguments, justice RC Chavan rejected the bail application, observing that the matter is at a stage where suspects might be needed for custodial interrogation.
The court also refused to grant a 10-day stay on the order.