47. BA-1142-26.odt Amberkar IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION BAIL APPLICATION NO. 1142 OF 2026 Shantanu Rajendra Joshi .. Applicant Versus The State of Maharashtra .. Respondent ....................  Mr. Vipul Dushing a/w Mr. Jinay Jain & Mr. Parag Sawant i/by Ms. Sana Raees Khan, Advocates for Applicant  Ms. Shilpa G. Talhar, APP for State ................... CORAM : MILIND N. JADHAV, J. DATE : OCTOBER 14, 2026 P. C. : 1. Heard Mr. Dushing, learned Advocate for Applicant and Ms. Talhar, learned APP for State. 2. This is an Application under Section 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (Section 483 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 seeking regular Bail in connection with C.R. No. I-230 of 2025 registered with Mhasrul Police Station, Nashik for the offences punishable under Sections 85, 108, 115, 351, 352 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (for short "BNS"). 3. Applicant is one of the three accused persons who has been indicted in the present crime. The deceased is his wife who has committed suicide. Copy of the suicide note is appended at page Nos. 42-46. With the able assistance of Mr. Dushing and the learned APP 1 of 4 47. BA-1142-26.odt Ms. Talhar, I have perused the material placed on record. It is prima facie seen that the parties had got married on 29.12.2018 and did not have any issues. The parties were also not ad idem but notwithstanding the future separation between them, they were residing together in a way whereby the Applicant had purchased a separate flat in their joint names in which the victim i.e. his wife was residing alone. The Applicant admittedly was residing separately. The Applicant is a software engineer and was working in Pune at the relevant time. The FIR is lodged by the father of the victim on the basis that the victim had suffered harassment at the hands of the Applicant for the entire duration and tenure of the subsistence of their married life from 2018 onwards until the unfortunate incident which occurred on 25.08.2025. 4. Bare perusal of the suicide note prima facie shows that the victim had in fact adored the Applicant and has also stated that he should not be held responsible for she taking the unfortunate step but in the same breath she has also stated that the accused Nos. 2 and 3 who are her mother-in-law and sister-in-law be held responsible for her state of affairs. Reading of the FIR, the witness statements and the suicide note prima facie does not show any specific overt act on the part of the Applicant to have driven the victim to commit or take the unfortunate step in the present case. The fact that the parties were 2 of 4 47. BA-1142-26.odt desiring and desirous of being separated is otherwise evident from the record of the case but notwithstanding that there was no matrimonial dispute which was filed vis-a-vis steps taken by the Applicant. The psychological state of the victim is also apparently seen on reading the suicide note where she does not attribute any overt act of violence, abuse, force or deceit to the Applicant, however, she holds the other two accused persons responsible, but they have been protected by this Court. 5. Hence, in view of my aforesaid prima facie observations and the case of the prosecution built on circumstantial evidence against the Applicant, I am inclined to consider the case of the Applicant for grant of bail. Hence, Applicant is released on bail on the followig terms and conditions:- (i) Applicant is directed to be immediately released on bail from prison in connection with C.R. No. I-230 of 2025; (ii) Applicant is directed to be released on bail on furnishing P.R. Bond of Rs. 15,000/- (Rs. Fifteen Thousand only) with one or two sureties in the like amount; (iii) Applicant shall report to the Investigating Officer at concerned Police Station, once every month on the first Sunday of the month between 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 3 of 4 47. BA-1142-26.odt 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 Nos. 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. Needless to state that the above observations will not come in the way of trial as they are prima facie in nature based on the submissions made and the material placed before this Court. 7. Bail Application is allowed and disposed of in the above terms. Amberkar [ MILIND N. JADHAV, J. ] 4 of 4 RAVINDRA MOHAN AMBERKAR Digitally signed by RAVINDRA MOHAN AMBERKAR Date: 2026.10.14 20:36:06 +0530