The Bombay High Court has granted bail to Gaurav Yadav, an accused in the sensational murder case of builder Savji Manjiri, who was shot dead in Navi Mumbai’s Nerul in March 2023.
Justice Milind Jadhav observed that no direct role could be attributed to Yadav in the murder and noted inconsistencies in the prosecution’s case.
Yadav, represented by Advocate Shubham Upadhyay, was accused of keeping a watch on the movement of the deceased at the behest of absconding accused — Manjiri’s cousin— allegedly over a property and business dispute.
The court noted that Yadav was not present at the scene when the murder took place. The 56-year-old victim, director of Imperia Developers, was shot at point-blank range by two bike-borne assailants outside his SUV after he had lunch at a relative’s house in Nerul.
Additional Government Pleader Savita Yadav opposed the bail plea. She referred to a witness statement recorded 40 days after the incident, CCTV footage, and call detail records to show Yadav’s involvement.
However, the court found these pieces of evidence lacking in strength. The CCTV footage merely showed Yadav arriving in a taxi two days before the incident in a public area, with no incriminating act captured. The CDR showed phone contact with other accused but failed to establish the nature or content of those communications.
Additionally, a Test Identification (TI) parade held over two months after the murder was deemed unreliable, as Yadav’s photograph was already in the police station record.
Considering the absence of direct evidence, lack of clear motive or financial benefit, and no confirmed presence at the crime scene, the court ordered Yadav’s release on a personal bond of Rs. 10,000.
The main accused in the case remains absconding.
