33.ABA-2197.26.DOC IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION ANTICIPATORY BAIL APPLICATION NO. 2197 OF 2026 Akshay Kishan Sonawane … Applicant V/s. State of Maharashtra …. Respondent ______________________ Ms.Ekta Pail i/by Mr. Prashant Hagare, for the Applicant Ms. M. R. Tidke, APP, for the Respondent-State. Mr. Kashiraj Jadhav, G.P.S.I. attached to Baramati Taluka Police Station present. ______________________ CORAM : MADHAV J. JAMDAR, J. DATED : 31 AUGUST 2026 P. C. :- 1. Heard Ms. Patil, learned Counsel appearing for the Applicants and Ms. Tidke, learned APP appearing for the Respondent-State. 2. By this application filed under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, the Applicant is seeking pre- arrest bail in connection with C.R. No.199 of 2026 registered with Baramati Taluka Police Station, Pune for the offences punishable Page 1 PPN PRACHI PRANESH NANDIWADEKAR Digitally signed by PRACHI PRANESH NANDIWADEKAR Date: 2026.09.01 16:19:20 +0530 33.ABA-2197.26.DOC under Sections 115(2), 118(1), 127(2), 351(2)(3), 352, 49, 140(3), 119(2), 189(2), 191(2)(3) and 190 read with 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. 3. It is the submission of the learned counsel appearing for the Applicant that the incident has taken place due to sudden fight as there is some dispute between the first informant and Accused No.1- Pintu @Sharad Yashwant Dhumal. She submits that Applicant is not at all involved in the crime and the injuries, if any, are simple in nature. She submits that although there are 3 antecedents, the said antecedents are of the year 2014, 2016 and 2019. She submits that there are total 6 Accused. Accused nos.1 and 5 have been released on regular bail. Accused no.2 has been granted anticipatory bail and the present Applicant is Accused no. 3. She submits that except the version of the first informant, there is no other independent witness as far as the role of the present Applicant is concerned. She submits that the Applicant will abide by all the conditions and will cooperate with the investigation. 4. On the other hand, the learned APP strongly opposes the anticipatory bail application. The learend APP states that the Applicant has played actual role in the incident in question. She Page 2 PPN 33.ABA-2197.26.DOC submits that apart from the first informant, there is an eyewitness, namely Nikhil Prakash Nalkol. She submits that the Applicant has antecedents and, therefore, the anticipatory bail application will be dismissed. 5. Perusal of the record shows that except the first informant, there is no other independent witness who has stated the role of the present Applicant. Although it is the contention of the learned APP that witness Nikhil Prakash Nalkol has stated about the role of the Applicant, his statement dated 26 April 2026 shows that he has assigned the role to two persons who are not identified and the further statement is given on the basis of the information given by the first informant. The injuries are simple in nature. The Accused nos.1 and 5 have been arrested and released on regular bail. Accused no.2 has been released on anticipatory bail. The main allegations are against Accused no.1 who has already been granted regular bail. Although there are antecedents, the antecedents are of the year 2014, 2016 and 2019. 6. Accordingly, by imposing following strict conditions, the case is made out for a grant of anticipatory bail :- O R D E R (a) In the event of arrest of the Applicant in connection Page 3 PPN 33.ABA-2197.26.DOC with C.R. No.199 of 2026 registered with Baramati Taluka Police Station, Pune, the Applicant is directed to be released on bail on furnishing P.R. Bond in the sum of Rs.50,000/- with one or two solvent sureties each in the like amount. (b) The Applicant shall attend the concerned Police Station on 7 September 2026 and 8 September 2026 and every week on Monday between 11:00 a.m. to 02:00 p.m. till filing of the chargesheet and shall cooperate with the investigation. (c) The Applicant shall furnish his cell phone number and residential address to the Investigating Officer and shall keep the same updated, in case of any change thereto. (d) The Applicant shall not directly or indirectly make any inducement, threat, or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade such a person from disclosing the facts to the Court or to any Police personnel. (e) The Applicant shall not tamper with the prosecution Page 4 PPN 33.ABA-2197.26.DOC evidence and shall not contact or influence the Complainant or any witness in any manner. (f) The Applicant shall not leave India without prior permission of the Court. (g) The Applicant shall cooperate with the Investigating Officer and attend the concerned police station as and when called by the Investigating Officer. 7. The observations made in this order are only for the purpose of considering the anticipatory bail application. 8. Anticipatory Bail Application is disposed of accordingly. [MADHAV J. JAMDAR, J.] Page 5 PPN