Bombay High Court
AKASH VINAYAK BHUREversusSTATE OF MAHARASHTRA
- Decided
- Disposal
- Allowed
Holding
Bail was granted to the applicant, Akash Vinayak Bhure, on the condition of a bond and compliance with stipulated terms.
Summary
The High Court considered the bail application of Akash Vinayak Bhure, accused No.3 in a case involving robbery of Rs.20,000 and subsequent extortion demands of Rs.1 crore. The complainant alleged that Bhure, along with other accused, orchestrated a trap wherein he was to collect a bag of money from an ATM dustbin, during which he was apprehended. The court noted that the primary extortionists (accused Nos.3 and 4) had already been released on bail and that Bhure's role appeared lesser, with no prior criminal antecedents. Weighing parity with co‑accused and the lack of serious allegations against him, the court found a reasonable case for bail. Consequently, the bail application was allowed, subject to standard conditions and a bond of Rs.50,000.
Issues considered
- What is the appropriateness of granting bail to Accused No.3 given his alleged participation in robbery and extortion?
Subjects
- bail
- extortion
- robbery
- Criminal Procedure Code
- High Court
- Maharashtra
Judgment
38 ba 855 of 2026.odt
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
BAIL APPLICATION NO. 855 OF 2026
Akash Vinayak Bhure
Age : 59 years, Occu.:----
Residing at Nanekarwadi, Taluka –
Khed, Chakan, Pimpari Chinchwad,
District : Pune.
(The Applicant at present in Yerwada
Jail, Pune) .. Applicant
Versus
The State of Maharashtra
Through Investigating Officer
In C.R. No. 0755 of 2023, registered
with Chakan Police Station, Pimpari
Chinchwad, Pune. .. Respondent
....................
Mr. Chaitanya Mulawkar a/w. Mr. Nilesh Waghmode, Advocate for
Applicant.
Mr. Amit A. Palkar, A.P.P. for the Respondent – State.
Mr. Akshay Munjaji Mote, PSI Chakan South Police Station, present.
................…
CORAM : MILIND N. JADHAV, J.
DATE : AUGUST 11, 2026
P. C.:
1. Heard Mr. Maulawkar learned Advocate for the Applicant and
RAJESHRI
PRAKASH
AHER
Digitally signed by
RAJESHRI PRAKASH
AHER
Mr. Palkar, learned APP for the Respondent – State.
Date: 2026.08.12
15:44:23 +0530
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2. The Applicant is arraigned as Accused No.3. The case of the
prosecution stems on the fact that the complainant was accosted by
Accused Nos. 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6, two days prior to the actual incident and
Rs. 20,000/- was robbed from the complainant; that is what the
complainant has stated in the First Information Report (“FIR”, for
short). Two days thereafter, he received a call from Accused Nos. 3 and
4 seeking an extortion demand of Rs. 1 crore. When the complainant
interacted and responded to them and informed that he did not have
that much amount, he was threatened with dire consequences and
threats. Therefore, the complainant agreed to arrange and give them
Rs.12 lakhs. However, in the meanwhile, complainant approached the
law enforcement agencies and the police thereafter set up a trap to
nab the accused persons.
3. The complainant informed Accused Nos. 3 and 4 that he would
drop the money in the dustbin of an ATM in the nearby area, as
informed by them, and the same could be collected by them. When
this modus operandi was executed, Accused No.3, namely Akash
Bhure, who is the Applicant before this Court, was asked by the other
accused persons to go and collect the said bag from the dustbin of the
ATM. When he approached the ATM, at that time, Accused No. 3 was
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nabbed, and he disclosed the name of Accused No. 1 being the person
who had orchestrated the aforesaid crime and told him to retrieve the
bag. Thereafter, all the other accused persons were also apprehended.
4. The role attributed to the Applicant before the Court was to the
extent of he having gone to collect the plastic bag of money, which was
dropped into the dustbin of the ATM. That apart, the learned Advocate
has also drawn my attention to the fact that Accused Nos. 3 and 4,
who had principally made the extortion calls over a period of more
than two days and, thereafter, attempted to kidnap the Complainant
for one and half hours and kept him in an open field, have already
been released on bail. Their bail orders are placed before the Court.
Three of the other accused persons have been released by this Court,
whereas one them has been released by the trial Court. Applicant has
no antecedents. Prima facie, it is seen that the role of the present
Applicant is far lesser than that of Accused Nos. 3 and 4, who have
already been released on bail. In that view of the matter, an arguable
case is made out by the learned Advocate for Applicant for grant of
present Application on parity. The Application stands allowed. The
Applicant is therefore released on bail.
5. In view of the above the following order is passed:-
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:: O R D E R ::
(i) Applicant is directed to be immediately released from
prison in connection with Crime No. 0755 of 2023;
(ii) Applicant is directed to be released on bail on furnishing
P.R. Bond of Rs. 50,000/- (Rs. Fifty Thousand only), with one
surety of the like amount;
(iii) Applicant shall report to the Investigating Officer at
Chakan Police Station, once every month on the first Monday
between 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.;
(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 State of Maharashtra
without prior permission of the Trial Court;
(vi) Applicant shall not influence 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
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(viii) Any infraction of the conditions shall entail cancellation
of bail granted to the Applicant.
6. Bail Application is allowed and disposed of in the above
terms.
Rajeshri Aher [ MILIND N. JADHAV, J. ]
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