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Accused got bail, but he’s still in jail as family can’t pay amount
Two weeks after the magistrate’s court granted bail to Mohammed Ajmeri Sheikh (29) accused of raping, murdering and dumping the body of a nine-year-old girl, on the terrace of a police quarters, he is still lodged inside the Arthur Road Jail.
Two weeks after the magistrate’s court granted bail to Mohammed Ajmeri Sheikh (29) accused of raping, murdering and dumping the body of a nine-year-old girl, on the terrace of a police quarters, he is still lodged inside the Arthur Road Jail.
He has not been able to arrange the bail amount.
His lawyer is relieved that Ajmeri was unable to arrange for surety and is still in jail. “He is already accused in a rape case and a suspect in another. If he would have come out he would surely have been booked in this [murder of a girl on June 19] case too,” said his advocate Prakash Wagh.
The victim went missing on March 5 and the police found her body on the terrace of the police quarters opposite the Nehru Nagar police station in Kurla (East) on March 8.
The police then arrested Sheikh on March 9.
The Vikhroli metropolitan magistrate’s court on June 7 granted him bail for surety of Rs 10,000 as the police failed to prepare the chargesheet in the stipulated period of 90 days.
On the same day, the sessions court had rejected his bail application after the police told the court that two witnesses had seen Ajmeri and the victim together.
“Last week we went to the magistrate’s court again saying that since the police have tarnished Ajmeri’s image, no one is coming forward to stand surety for him,” added Wagh.
Ajmeri had also moved an application in the court saying that the surety amount must be reduced. “The court rejected our application but agreed bail on cash bond and then arrange for surety within a month,” said Wagh.
“Ajmeri’s family has not been able to arrange the cash for his release as they are poor.”
Despite repeated attempts, the senior inspector of the Nehru Nagar police station was not available for comment.
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