Bombay High Court
SUJATA SANDIP WAGASKARversusSTATE OF MAHARASHTRA
- Decided
- Disposal
- Disposed Off
Holding
The court declined to grant bail at this stage but allowed the applicant to file a fresh bail application if the trial is not concluded within three months.
Summary
The applicant, Nilesh Narayn Waghaskar, has been in jail for five years awaiting trial on murder charges. He applied for regular bail, arguing that the trial has stalled since the charge was framed on 19 November 2024 and that the prosecution has listed 33 witnesses, making a speedy conclusion unlikely. The State contended that the case is based on direct evidence and that the trial is delayed due to the pending forensic report, but the intervenor (the deceased's wife) indicated she would not oppose bail if the trial is not completed within three months. The court, noting the lack of progress, declined to grant bail immediately but gave the applicant a chance to re‑apply if the trial remains unfinished after three months, and disposed of the interim application. Thus, bail was not granted at this stage, but a future application is permitted.
Issues considered
- Whether bail should be granted to the accused on the ground of long incarceration and trial delay
- Whether the pending forensic report and the number of prosecution witnesses justify continued detention
Subjects
- bail
- long incarceration
- trial delay
- criminal procedure
- interim application
- forensic report
Judgment
1 903-BA 3554-26 @ IA.doc
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
CRIMINAL BAIL APPLICATION NO.3554 OF 2026
Nilesh Narayn Waghaskar … Applicant
Vs.
The State of Maharashtra … Respondent
WITH
INTERIM APPLICATION NO.3394 OF 2026
IN
CRIMINAL BAIL APPLICATION NO.3354 OF 2026
-----
Mr. Manoj Mohite, Senior Advocate a/w Shailesh Kharat, Onkar
Chaudhari, Shreyash More for the Applicant.
Mr. V. N. Sagare, APP for the Respondent-State.
Mr. Piyush Toshnival a/w Vedant Jagtap for the Applicant-Intervener in IA
No.3394 of 2026.
Digitally
-----
signed by
MUGDHA
MANOJ
CORAM : N.R. BORKAR, J.
MUGDHA
MANOJ PARANJAPE
PARANJAPE Date:
DATE : 07TH OCTOBER 2026
2026.10.07
19:16:53
+0530
P.C. :
1. This is an Application for regular bail.
2. The bail is inter-alia sought on the ground of long incarceration.
3. Learned Senior Counsel for the Applicant submits that the Applicant
is in jail for five years. It is submitted that except framing of charge on 19 th
November 2024, there is no progress in the trial. It is submitted that the
prosecution has cited 33 witnesses and thus the trial is not likely to be
concluded in the near future. It is further submitted that the other co-
accused are released on the ground of long incarceration. Learned Senior
Mugdha 1 of 2
2 903-BA 3554-26 @ IA.doc
Counsel for the Applicant has relied upon the order passed by the Hon’ble
Supreme Court in Petition for Special Leave to Appeal (Cri.) No.7502 of
2026 dated 04th May 2026 to submit that the Hon’ble Supreme Court in
the similar circumstances has granted bail on the ground of long
incarceration.
4. On the other hand, Learned APP for the Respondent-State and
Learned Counsel for the Intervenor (the wife of the deceased) submit that
the case is based on direct evidence. It is submitted that the deceased was
brutally murdered. It is submitted that the trial could not proceed as FSL
report was not received. The Learned Counsel for the Intervenor submits
that the Intervenor will not object to release of the Applicant on bail if the
trial is not concluded within a period of three months.
5. Considering the overall facts and circumstances of the case, I am
inclined to grant one more opportunity to the prosecution.
6. The Criminal Bail Application is thus disposed of with liberty to the
Applicant to file an application for bail before this Court if the trial is not
concluded within a period of three months from today.
7. The Interim Application shall also stand disposed of.
(N.R. BORKAR, J.)
Mugdha 2 of 2
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