1 46-Cr.BA-1228-2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY NAGPUR BENCH, NAGPUR. CRIMINAL APPLICATION [B.A.] NO. 1228 OF 2026 Ramkrushna Tanuji Meshram -- VERSUS -- The State of Maharashtra __________________________________________________________________________ Office Notes, Office Memoranda of Coram, appearances, Court's orders of directions Court's or Judge's orders. and Registrar's Orders. Mr. A.M. Chandekar, Advocate for the Applicant. Ms. S.N. Thakur, A.P.P. for the Non-applicant/State. CORAM : M.M. NERLIKAR, J. DATE : SEPTEMBER 29, 2026. Heard. 2. The present application is filed seeking regular bail in Crime No.893/2025 for the offence punishable under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, registered with Police Station Gadchiroli, District Gadchiroli. 3. As per the First Information Report (F.I.R.), the informant, Jyotsna Naresh Gedekar, aged 32 years, resides with her mother-in-law, Lalita Deorao Gedekar, aged 60 years, at Pulkhal, District Gadchiroli. It is alleged that on 22.09.2025, the informant and her mother-in-law had gone to different places for agricultural work. Subsequently, the informant received information that her mother- Piyush Mahajan 2026:BHC-NAG:12974 2 46-Cr.BA-1228-2026 in-law was lying injured in a paddy field. Upon reaching the spot, she found her mother-in-law in an injured condition, having sustained an injury to her head. It is further alleged that Ramkrishna Tanu Meshram, the father of Kailas Meshram, who was murdered in the year 2022, harboured animosity towards the informant’s mother-in-law in connection with the said incident. It is also stated that the deceased had been released on bail in the year 2023 and, after her release the informant and the deceased had been residing at the informant’s maternal house for about one year. The informant, therefore, suspected that Ramkrishna Tanu Meshram was involved in the death of her mother-in-law due to his animosity. On the basis of the aforesaid allegations, the First Information Report (F.I.R.) came to be registered on 22.09.2025. 4. The learned counsel for the applicant submits that, except for the alleged motive to commit the murder, there is no other incriminating circumstance against the applicant. It is alleged against the applicant that his son was murdered by the deceased, Lalita, and, in retaliation, the applicant committed the murder of the deceased. He submits that, upon perusal of the entire material forming part of the charge-sheet, there is not a single circumstance Piyush Mahajan 3 46-Cr.BA-1228-2026 which connects the applicant with the alleged crime. Even the deceased was not last seen in the company of the applicant. He further submits that there are only two or three statements indicating that the applicant was proceeding in the vicinity of the place of occurrence. According to the learned counsel, mere presence or movement in the vicinity of the spot, in the absence of any other incriminating material, is not sufficient to connect the applicant with the alleged offence. As regards the alleged weapon, i.e. an axe, the learned counsel submits that no blood stains were found thereon. Though blood stains are stated to have been found on the banyan allegedly belonging to the applicant, he submits that the said clothes were seized prior to the arrest of the applicant. In such circumstances, the learned counsel submits that the recovery and seizure of the said clothes itself is shrouded in doubt. He, therefore, prays for grant of bail to the applicant. 5. On the other hand, the learned A.P.P. vehemently opposed the application and submits that the applicant had a strong motive to commit the murder of the deceased, as the deceased was allegedly involved in the murder of his son. She further submits that an axe has been recovered at the instance of the applicant and that the Investigating Piyush Mahajan 4 46-Cr.BA-1228-2026 Agency has also seized the clothes of the applicant, which were found to bear blood stains. There are also statements of witnesses indicating that the applicant was proceeding towards the spot of the incident. In view of the aforesaid circumstances, the learned A.P.P. submits that the applicant does not deserve to be released on bail. 6. Upon consideration of the submissions advanced by both sides, it prima facie appears that the son of the applicant was allegedly killed by the deceased, Lalita, and that, in turn, the applicant is alleged to have committed the murder of the deceased, Lalita. However, there is no independent material supporting the said allegation. The learned A.P.P. submits certain statements indicate that the applicant was proceeding towards the spot of the incident. However, upon perusal of the said statements, they neither show nor indicate that the deceased was seen in the company of the applicant. In such circumstances, merely because the applicant was allegedly proceeding towards the spot, such statements would not, by themselves, be sufficient to conclude that it was the applicant who committed the murder. So far as the alleged recovery of the clothes and the axe is concerned, upon perusal of the panchanama, it appears that no blood stains were Piyush Mahajan 5 46-Cr.BA-1228-2026 found on the axe. As regards the seizure of the banyan allegedly belonging to the applicant, it is pertinent to note that, till date, the Chemical Analyser's report has not been received. In the absence of such report, merely on the basis of the said circumstance, the applicant cannot be connected with the alleged crime. Therefore, considering the overall facts and circumstances of the case and the nature of the material collected by the Investigating Officer, I am inclined to grant bail to the applicant by imposing stringent conditions. Hence, the following order: O R D E R (i) The Criminal Application is allowed; (ii) The applicant / accused (Ramkrushna Tanuji Meshram) be released on regular bail in connection with Crime No.893/2025 for the offence punishable under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, registered with Police Station Gadchiroli, District Gadchiroli, on his furnishing a P.R. bond of Rs.50,000/- (Rupees Fifty Thousand) with two solvent sureties in the like amount; (iii) The accused shall not directly or indirectly make any inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts Piyush Mahajan 6 46-Cr.BA-1228-2026 of the case, and also shall not tamper with the evidence; (iv) The accused shall provide his residential address and cell number to the Police Station concerned and shall not change his place of residence without prior intimation to the Investigating Agency; (v) Once the trial commences, the accused shall attend each and every date of trial regularly. If he fails to attend the trial for one single date, or fails to comply with the aforesaid conditions, his default would entail the State to ask for cancellation of bail; (vi) The observations of this Court are prima facie in nature. The Trial Court shall not be influenced by the same; (vii) Pending Misc. Application(s), if any, also stand disposed of. [ M.M. NERLIKAR, J ] Piyush Mahajan Signed by: Piyush Ramesh Mahajan Designation: PA To Honourable Judge Date: 30/09/2026 18:23:51