1 / 2 09-WP-4365-26.odt IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO.4365 OF 2026 Afajuddin Mohammad Shaikh @ Takla Nana .... Petitioner versus The State of Maharashtra & Anr. .... Respondents ….... • Mr. Omneel Jadhav, Advocate for Petitioner. • Ms. M. M. Deshmukh, APP for the State/Respondent. CORAM : SARANG V. KOTWAL & RANJITSINHA RAJA BHONSALE, JJ. DATE : 03rd SEPTEMBER, 2026 P.C. : 1. In this case, the Petitioner is sentenced to suffer imprisonment for life, which is to mean remainder of his natural life. The Petitioner’s Criminal Appeal No.146 of 2019 is pending before this Court. 2. Considering that the specific sentence is for life imprisonment till the end of his life, at this stage, during the pendency of this Appeal, the Government was not in a position Nesarikar MANUSHREE NESARIKAR Digitally signed by MANUSHREE NESARIKAR Date: 2026.09.07 10:54:48 +0530 2 / 2 09-WP-4365-26.odt to grant him any benefit of premature release. Therefore, at this stage, the order dated 05/05/2026 rejecting the Petitioner’s prayer for premature release cannot be faulted with. 3. The Petition is therefore disposed of. However, depending on the outcome of the Criminal Appeal No.146 of 2019, the Petitioner is at liberty to renew his prayer of premature release. If such an application is made, after the decision of the said Appeal, it shall be decided on its own merits and in accordance with law. 4. The Petition is disposed of. (RANJITSINHA RAJA BHONSALE, J.) (SARANG V. KOTWAL, J.)