A Dindoshi sessions court on Wednesday granted pre-arrest bail to a 26-year-old and a 36-year-old who had assaulted another man who had cheered their opposite cricket team beginning this month when the lockdown had been extended, upon the condition that they contribute Rs. 5,000 each to the CM Relief Fund, for violating the lockdown.
The court said in its order that the second wave of pandemic has struck civil society hard, the virus does not differentiate between men, women, the young or the old and by this time has engulfed the whole world. “The guidelines issued by the government from time to time have to be followed by everyone as they are issued only in public interest and to control the spread of the pandemic,” it said.
It added that since both the applicants have violated the directions, they owe duty towards society to compensate for the same. It directed them to make the deposits as a condition for availing the relief of anticipatory bail.
Interestingly the Aarey police had not booked them for violating the lockdown rules wherein Sec 144 had been imposed and the boys had gathered to play cricket in an open ground in Aarey Colony. The duo were charged for voluntarily causing hurt and criminal intimidation.
Additional Sessions Judge Krupesh Vijay More noted this and said that the undisputed fact that emerges from the FIR is that on the date of the incident, i.e, 5 May 2021 the lockdown was extended by the state government in view of the second wave of COVID-19 virus. It said further that in violation of the order and order under Sec 144, both the applicants and others gathered together and played cricket for which they are not charged by the police station.
Their advocate had submitted that if the court directs, they are willing to contribute to the CM Relief Fund - COVID-19. The court said they are ready to follow bail conditions and in view of their being ready to cooperate in the probe their custodial interrogation is not required.
