The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has opposed the temporary bail plea filed by Sanjeev Khanna – an accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, stating that the offence is serious.
The agency also pointed in its reply to Khanna’s interim bail plea that his earlier bail plea based on merit had been rejected and that since his offence can be punished by more than seven years imprisonment, he is not applicable for the interim bail.
Khanna, through his advocate Niranjan Mundargi, had filed a bail plea on the grounds that in the High Power Committee (HPC) direction of May 11, the offence of IPC Sec 302 (punishment for murder) was not mentioned with the offences such as rape, sexual crimes against children, money laundering, etc. These serious offences have been made exceptions by the HPC to seeking interim bail. The HPC had been constituted for release of prisoners on interim bail and parole due to the Coronavirus pandemic as per directions of the apex court to each state to constitute such a committee for the purpose.
Mundargi said that the offence of IPC Sec 303 (punishment for murder by life convict) has been included in the list of offences in the exceptions, but not Sec 302. “Even a subsequent clarification by the HPC of May 18 did not mention Sec 302 in the exceptions, which means those charged with murder could be considered for release,” he said.
