Woman gets bail in controversial Gondia murder

NAGPUR: Justice SB Shukre of Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court last week granted conditional bail to Dewakabai Khobragade, wife of deceased Sanjay, along with her neighbour Raju Gadpayle in the controversial murder case in Gondia district.
The court has allowed the bail application of Dewakabai and Raju on the condition that they furnish bond of Rs 15,000 along with solvent surety of same amount.The bail applicants were also instructed by the court to ensure that they attend the trial regularly and also not tamper with the prosecution's evidence.
Dewakabai and her neighbour Raju were arrested for their alleged role behind the murder of the woman's husband Sanjay. In the early hours of May 18, Sanjay was set ablaze by some unidentified persons while deep in slumber at his residence at Kewlewada in Goregaon tehsil in Gondia district. He was brought to Government Medical College and Hospital in serious condition where he subsequently collapsed.
Initially five persons were booked following the dying declaration of Sanjay. Subsequently, Gondia police found out the so-called involvement of Dewakabai and her neighbour Raju behind the murder over an illicit relationship. Dewakabai and Raju were later arrested by Gangazari police of Gondia aggravating the unrest already triggered by a section of Dalit right activists.
The court has observed that in none of the four dying declarations of the deceased that he had either mentioned or expressed doubt on his wife Dewakabai and neighbour Raju. Sanjay had mentioned names of five other persons, who were earlier arrested, as the ones behind setting him on fire. The court mentioned that the arrests were made on the presumption of the involvements of the wife and neighbour made by the investigating officer.
While disposing the bail plea, the court stated that "except for the confessional statements of the applicants, in this case there is no other evidence prima facie linking the applicants to the crime alleged against them".
The court has added that "no purpose would be served by keeping the applicants in jail" having regard to the nature of evidence so far collected and also the chargesheet against the present applicants filed.