Bombay High Court
SUNITA NARAYANRAO LONAREversusSTATE OF MAHARASHTRA
- Decided
- Disposal
- Allowed
Holding
The Court held that the petitioner may furnish common sureties for all 23 cases, allowing her release on bail.
Summary
The petitioner, Sunita Narayanrao Lonare, an accused in 23 criminal cases, filed a writ petition under Article 226 seeking permission to furnish common sureties for all cases, as she had been granted bail by various courts but could not afford separate sureties amounting to Rs.7,60,000. The trial courts and a single judge of the High Court had directed her release on bail contingent upon furnishing distinct bail bonds, leading to her continued pre‑trial incarceration for about six years. The petitioner submitted affidavits of two solvent individuals willing to stand as sureties jointly or severally for the total bail amount. The High Court, after considering the petition, directed that the two sureties be accepted for all 23 cases without requiring additional sureties or repeated verification. Consequently, the petition was allowed, and the petitioner was ordered to be released on bail using the common sureties.
Issues considered
- Whether a petitioner can be permitted to furnish common or joint sureties for multiple bail orders across several criminal cases under Article 226 of the Constitution.
Subjects
- bail
- surety
- pre‑trial detention
- Article 226
- common surety
- criminal procedure
- High Court
Judgment
KSG 28-WP-2742-2025.doc
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
WRIT PETITION NO.2742 OF 2025
Sunita Narayanrao Lonare … Petitioner
V/s.
State of Maharashtra … Respondent
_______________________________________
Mr. Rohan R. Sonawane a/w Mr. Krutik Veera for the Petitioner.
Mr. S.V. Gavand, A.P.P. for Respondent-State.
_______________________________________
CORAM : A. S. GADKARI AND
KAMAL KHATA, JJ.
DATE : 24th AUGUST, 2026
P.C. :
1) By this Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India,
the Petitioner an accused in 23 cases, has prayed that, she may be permitted
to furnish common sureties/same sureties in all the said 23 cases, the list
whereof is mentioned in paragraph No.8 of the Petition wherein she has been
granted bail by the respective trial Courts.
2) Perusal of record indicates that, the learned Magistrate, Special
Court, and the learned Single Judge of this Court both have directed the
Petitioner to be released on bail in the said crimes, on her furnishing P.R.
Bonds of different amounts. The total bail bond amounts in all the said cases
is Rs.7,60,000/-.
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KSG 28-WP-2742-2025.doc
3) The said Orders releasing the Petitioner on bail have been
passed between the years March 2020 to 2025. As the Petitioner could not
furnish separate sureties to make up the amount mentioned in the P.R. Bond
as specified in the said Orders, she is still anguishing in Jail. As per the
submission of the learned Advocate for the Petitioner, Petitioner as of today
has undergone approximately 6 years in incarceration at pre-trial stage.
4) In view of the fact that, the Petitioner has been directed to be
released on bail by the various Courts in the State of Maharashtra and
despite the said fact she is still Languishing in Jail as she is unable to furnish
separate sureties in all the cases, we are inclined to permit the Petitioner to
furnish one or two solvent sureties common in all the cases, who are
residents of State of Maharashtra, to make up the total bail amount of
Rs.7,60,000/-.
5) Mr. Sonawane, learned Advocate appearing for the Petitioner
tendered across the bar Affidavits of Ms.Lalita Narayanrao Lonare and
Mr.Mangesh Govindrao Hood, duly affirmed before a Notary Public. The said
two persons have expressed their willingness to stand sureties for the
Petitioner for an amount of Rs.7,60,000/- jointly or severally. The said two
Affidavits are taken on record.
6) In view of the above, the Petitioner is permitted to be released
on bail by accepting sureties of Ms. Lalita Narayanrao Lonare and/or
Mr.Mangesh Govindrao Hood, either singly or jointly.
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KSG 28-WP-2742-2025.doc
6.1) The learned Judge/Judges of the trial Court/Courts are directed
to accept the said sureties without seeking additional sureties in all these
cases of the Petitioner.
7) The Petitioner is directed to furnish the documents of the
sureties alongwith P.R. Bond, initially before the learned District and
Additional Sessions Judge, Vadgaon Maval, Pune in M.P.I.D. Special Case
No.1 of 2022, arising out of C.R No.167 of 2003, registered with Vadgaon
Police Station, Taluka Maval, District Pune. Once the said two sureties are
verified by the learned District and Additional Sessions Judge, the Petitioner
is permitted to submit the said same sureties in remaining 22 cases. The
learned Judges of the concerned Court are requested not to insist for a
verification of the said sureties again.
8) Petition is allowed in the aforesaid terms.
( KAMAL KHATA, J. ) ( A.S. GADKARI, J. )
Digitally
signed by
KIRAN
KIRAN SANJAY
SANJAY GHUGE
GHUGE Date:
2026.09.01
10:57:12
+0530
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