State withdraws plea challenging bail to accused in Pansare murder case

The state government has withdrawn a petition filed in the Bombay high court challenging the bail granted by a sessions court to Virendrasinh Tawade, the prime accused in the murder of activist Govind Pansare

MUMBAI: The state government has withdrawn a petition filed in the Bombay high court challenging the bail granted by a sessions court to Virendrasinh Tawade, the prime accused in the murder of activist Govind Pansare.

Mumbai, India, June 11, 2016: Dr. Virendra Tawade (in white shirt with beard) who was arrested yesterday by CBI in connection with Narendra Dabholkar murder case, being produced in local court in Pune, India on 11 June 2016. HT Photo

The state claimed that it has got additional material in the supplementary chargesheet and therefore would like to approach the lower court again and hence sought withdrawal of the petition, which was allowed by the HC.

The single judge bench of justice Bharati Dangre was informed that the application was required to be withdrawn as additional material had become available in the case, which the sessions court needed to be apprised of.

An additional public prosecutor for the state argued that the bail order was passed by the sessions court based on information available at the time, however, after additional information which was added to the chargesheet, the sessions court will need to look at the bail application afresh.

In the earlier hearing, justice Dangre had questioned the state government whether additional material could be a ground for cancellation of bail to which the prosecutor on Tuesday submitted that the trial court, while granting bail, had not considered all available material against Tawade.

In its order, the bench noted, “State is seeking cancellation of bail. They are now claiming there is additional material against the accused in the supplementary charge-sheet. They are seeking to withdraw with liberty to file a fresh application before the trial court. They are permitted to do so, if permissible in law, if ground is available for cancellation of the bail.”

Tawade has also filed a petition seeking discontinuation of court monitoring of the investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The HC had started monitoring the probe after Mukta Dabholkar, the daughter of slain rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, had complained of the investigation getting dragged in the murder of her father and that of Pansare. The HC had then taken up monitoring of the investigation which progressed and the agencies claimed to have got new material against the accused.