HC allows bail of youth to save him from criminals’ company

Mumbai: The Bombay high court has allowed the bail application of a 21-year-old youngster who was involved in a physical altercation with some people, which led to registration of an First Information Report (FIR) against the youngster, his father, and the other persons. The court granted bail to him on the ground that it was a first offence and as the trial would take time, it would not be right to place him in the midst of hardened criminals.

A bench of justice V.L. Achilya was hearing the bail application of Roshan Panje through his advocate Kabul Singh. The advocate had advanced the argument that the entire incident which attracted the application of various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against Panje and his father was over a disagreement over parking of an auto rickshaw. Recounting the incident and referring to the chargesheet filed by the Khadakpada police station at Kalyan, Mr Singh said that the youngster was only guilty of using his fists and kicking the victims. He further said that as the father has been charged with assaulting the victim with an iron rod and not the youngster, he should be allowed bail.

The state however opposed the application on the grounds that if let out on bail, the youngster would try to influence the witnesses and further aggravate the situation and hence the application should not be allowed.

After hearing both sides, the bench observed, “The age and antecedents of the applicant and fact that the investigation is completed, I am of the view that the applicant deserves bail.”