E-Paper
Vikram Bhave, accused in Dabholkar murder case, granted bail by HC
PUNE Vikram Vinay Bhave (37), arrested in May 2019 in the case involving the murder of Narendra Dabholkar, has been granted bail by the Bombay High Court on Thursday
PUNE Vikram Vinay Bhave (37), arrested in May 2019 in the case involving the murder of Narendra Dabholkar, has been granted bail by the Bombay High Court on Thursday.
Bhave was arrested along with advocate Sanjeev Punalekar in May 2019 based on an alleged confession statement recorded by Sharad Kalaskar, accused of being one of two who arrived on a motorbike on the morning of August 20, 2013, on Omkareshwar bridge and shot Dabholkar dead.
While Punalekar was granted bail on July 5, 2019, Bhave was denied bail by a lower court, after which an appeal was made to the Bombay High Court in September 2020. Since his arrest, Bhave has been lodged at Yerawada Central Jail.
The judgement was reserved on March 23 and issued on Thursday by a bench of Justice SS Shinde and Manish Pitale.
Bhave’s bail was denied by the lower court once in January 2020 and once in September 2020.
“The impugned orders dated January 21, 2020, and September 15, 2020, are quashed and set aside. The bail applications of the appellant are allowed in the following terms,” read the order by the Bombay HC.
The case is being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Bhave was accused of helping the two assailants conduct a reconnaissance of the area where Dabholkar was known to take his walks, and to provide logistical support.
Advocates Subhash Jha, Virendra Ichalkaranjikar, Vasant Bansode, Ranjit Nair, and Harekrishna Mishra represented Bhave in the HC, while assistant public prosecutor SD Shinde represented the state of Maharashtra, and advocates Sandesh Patil with DP Singh represented the CBI.
The bail was granted on nine conditions, including payment of a personal bond of ₹1,00,000 and two solvent sureties in the like amount.
Bhave will have to mark his presence at Deccan police station every day for a month between 8am and 10am. For the second and third month after his release, Bhave will have to appear in the police station twice every week, on Monday and Thursday. Starting the fourth month, he can visit the police station once a month on Monday between 10am and 12 noon, according to the court order.
The court also asked Bhave to submit his passport and not move out of the police jurisdiction. The order also states that Bhave is prevented from making contact with other accused in the case, which includes his former employer Punalekar.
