Bombay HC Grants Bail To Ex-Army Officer Accused Of Wife’s Murder After Over 4 Years In Jail

Mumbai, October 12, 2026: The Bombay High Court has granted bail to a former Army officer accused of murdering his wife outside the court complex in Pune, citing his prolonged incarceration and the lack of progress in the trial.

Justice Milind Jadhav allowed the bail application of Deepak Dhavale, who has been in prison for over four years and four months. The court noted that despite charges being framed, the examination of witnesses had not begun and there was no likelihood of the trial commencing in the near future.

“The right to speedy trial flowing from Article 21 of the Constitution” protects an accused against prolonged detention before conviction, the court observed.

Wife Allegedly Shot Outside Court

The case relates to an incident on June 7, 2022, when Dhavale allegedly shot his wife outside the Shirur court complex, where she had gone with her parents and two daughters to attend proceedings in a domestic violence case filed against him in 2020.

According to the prosecution, Dhavale arrived with his brother, approached his wife with a pistol and fired three rounds at close range. When her parents intervened, he allegedly struck his mother-in-law on the head with the pistol and kicked his father-in-law. The couple’s daughters ran inside the court building to protect themselves.

Prosecution Opposes Bail

The prosecution opposed bail, arguing that the crime was premeditated and its gravity warranted continued custody.

Defence advocates Satyavrat Joshi and Indeayanee Pandit submitted that the trial had made no progress despite 65 hearing dates after the charges were framed.

The court record showed that the matter had repeatedly been adjourned for evidence.

Court Cites Prolonged Incarceration

Justice Jadhav noted that the applicant had no criminal antecedents and that his wife’s domestic violence proceedings formed the background to the incident. The judge stressed that the bail decision was based primarily on the prolonged detention and delay in trial, without examining the case on merits.

The court said that constitutional courts could grant bail when an undertrial had remained in custody for a considerable period and the trial was unlikely to conclude soon.

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Conditions Imposed For Bail

The court directed Dhavale to furnish a personal recognisance bond of Rs 15,000 with one or two sureties. He must report to the police once a month, attend all trial hearings, refrain from influencing witnesses and obtain the trial court’s permission before leaving Maharashtra.

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