Bombay High Court
SIDDHANT @ SHOOTER SHAMBHAJI BHOSALEversusSTATE OF MAHARASHTRA
- Decided
- Disposal
- Disposed Off
Holding
The court granted regular bail to the applicant on the stipulated conditions.
Summary
The applicant, Siddhant @ Shooter Shambhaji Bhosale, was charged in Crime No. 332 of 2023 for offences under Sections 302, 120B and 201 of the IPC, alleged to have conspired to murder the deceased. The prosecution's case is based solely on circumstantial evidence, with no direct proof, CCTV footage, or witness statements linking the applicant to the crime, and the applicant has no prior criminal record. Eight of the eleven accused have already been released on bail, and the court noted the applicant's right to a speedy trial as the trial has not yet commenced. The learned counsel for the applicant argued that bail is appropriate on parity and the lack of incriminating evidence. The court, after considering these factors, granted regular bail with a personal bond of Rs. 25,000 and specific conditions, while expressly reserving the right to cancel bail for any breach.
Issues considered
- Whether the applicant is entitled to regular bail despite being charged with murder, conspiracy and abetment of suicide under Sections 302, 120B and 201 IPC.
- Whether the circumstantial nature of the evidence and the applicant's clean record justify bail.
Legislation cited
- Indian Penal Code — s. 120B, 201, 302
Subjects
- bail
- murder
- conspiracy
- circumstantial evidence
- speedy trial
- IPC
- regular bail
- court order
Judgment
31-BA---792-26.doc
rsk
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
BAIL APPLICATION NO.792 OF 2026
Siddhant @ Shooter Shambhaji Bhosale .. Applicant
Versus
The State of Maharashtra .. Respondent
....................
Mr. Zaid Anwar Qureshi, Advocate for Applicant.
Ms. Shilpa G. Talhar, APP for the Respondent-State.
...................
CORAM : MILIND N. JADHAV, J.
DATE : SEPTEMBER 18, 2026
P.C.:
1. Heard Mr. Qureshi, learned Advocate for Applicant and Ms.
Talhar, learned APP for the Respondent-State.
2. By this application, the Applicant is seeking regular bail in Crime
No. 332 of 2023 registered with Jejuri Police Station, Pune, for the
offence punishable under Sections 302, 120B and 201 of the IPC.
3. The Applicant in the present case is arraigned as accused No.5
and case of prosecution against the accused is that he along with other
accused persons hatched criminal conspiracy to commit murder of
Digitally signed
by
RAJESHWARI RAJESHWARI
SUBODH
SUBODH
KARVE
KARVE
Date:
2026.09.19
deceased victim. Eight out of the eleven accused persons have already
17:34:09 +0530
been enlarged on bail. Prima facie, after reading the FIR copy which is
appended at Exhibit ‘A’, it shows that prosecution recovered body of
deceased victim from the incident site which is a canal after having
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been informed about the same. There is no direct evidence of the
crime.
4. The evidence of prosecution is circumstantial. Applicant has no
criminal antecedents. While releasing the other accused on bail, this
Court vide orders dated 26.06.2026 and 06.09.2026 have referred to
the aforesaid reasons. There is no other evidence either in the form of
CCTV footage or statement of any witness which leads to the presence
of the Applicant or any specific role having been attributed to the
Applicant. The Applicant was arrested on 22.07.2023 and trial has not
commenced and in that view of the matter it will take long time for the
trial to conclude. On parity, and right of Applicant to a speedy trial,
learned Advocate had made out a case for grant of bail.
5. Hence, Applicant is granted bail on the following terms and
conditions:
(i) Applicant - Siddhant @ Shooter Shambhaji Bhosale is
directed to be immediately released from prison in
connection with Crime No.332 of 2023;
(ii) Applicant is directed to be released on bail on
furnishing P.R. Bond of Rs. 25,000/- (Rs. Twenty Five
Thousand only) with one or two sureties in the like amount;
(iii) Applicant shall report to the Investigating Officer at
Jejuri Police Station, once every month on the first Sunday of
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the month between 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m until
commencement of trial and thereafter shall attend all dates
of hearing before the Trial Court;
(iv) Applicant shall co-operate with the conduct of trial and
attend the Trial Court on all dates, unless specifically
exempted and will not take any unnecessary adjournments,
if he does so it will entitle the prosecution to apply for
revocation of this order;
(v) Applicant shall not leave the Country without prior
permission of the Trial Court;
(vi) Applicant shall not influence with any of the witnesses
or tamper with the evidence in any manner;
(vii) Applicant shall keep the Investigating Officer informed
of his current address and mobile contact number and / or
change of residence or mobile details, if any, from time to
time, as applicable; and
(viii) Any infraction of the conditions shall entail cancellation
of bail granted to the Applicant.
6. It is clarified that the observations made in this order are
limited for the purpose of granting bail only and I have not made any
observations on merits of the case. The trial shall be adjudicated on the
strength of the evidence led and strictly on its own merits being
uninfluenced with any of the prima facie observations made
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hereinabove in this order.
7. Bail Application is allowed and disposed of in the above
terms.
rsk [ MILIND N. JADHAV, J. ]
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