A sessions court has denied bail to a man charged for kidnapping along with his accomplices, a builder’s 21-year-old son in 2015.
As per the prosecution case, the incident had taken place on March 11, 2015 when the businessman’s son had left home for his friend’s home past 10 pm. Then the builder had received a message from his son’s mobile that he had been kidnapped. Thereafter, the mobile was switched off. The following day he received a call demanding a ransom of Rs. 2 crore to release his son. Upon release, his son had told the crime branch that investigated the case that he had been abducted at gun point and the kidnappers had also taken his gold chain, two mobiles and his wallet. He was released by them after his father paid up the amount to them, after he had spent 33 days in their custody.
In his bail plea, applicant Deepak Salve said that he had been in custody since his arrest five years ago and that his co-accused had been granted bail. His advocate also said that Salve had tested positive thrice for coronavirus and sought at least interim bail for him.
The Crime Branch had opposed his plea stating that he had played an active role in kidnapping of the youth and that he may pressurise the complainant or witnesses or abscond if granted bail.
While rejecting Salve’s bail plea, Additional Sessions Judge Abhijeet Nandgaonkar observed that his bail plea on merit had been rejected up to the High Court. The order said that it appears that prima-facie an active role was played by the applicant in the offence which is serious in nature, punishable up to death. Further, that possibility of tampering and hammering of evidence cannot be ruled out. Regarding him testing positive for coronavirus, the court relied on apex court’s directions that no prisoner who suffers from the infection must be released as it is communicable.
