Mumbai: Bail denied to man booked for setting Girgaon courtroom on fire

A sessions court, on Wednesday, rejected the bail application of a man accused of setting fire to the video-conference room of the Girgaon magistrate last month, calling his act one of ‘audacious courage’ and ‘very serious’.

The court said he had set a courtroom on fire and, thus, has shown ‘very audacious courage’. Additional Sessions Judge UM Padwad stated, in his order, that the reason for his committing the offence is still not clear and it appears from the circumstances of the case that he committed it with some ‘definite motive’. The judge said further that his release would not be justified in such a ‘very serious’ offence.

The court noted that the CCTV footage clearly shows it is the applicant who had set the fire. Referring to the burn injuries he sustained in his legs, the court said these virtually confirm his involvement. It noted that he purchased new clothes before the crime and immediately disposed of them. He also purchased a thinner from a shop, which shows he had a definite plan to commit the offence.

The man, Omkar Pawar, had been booked by the DB Marg police station under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance) as well as under the provisions of the Prevention of Defacement of Public Property Act.

Pawar had claimed bail and stated that he is innocent and his custody was not required for investigation. The investigating officer had opposed his release and told the court that, during the probe, the CCTV footage was collected and Pawar was ascertained to be the culprit. He also said that the accused had set fire with a thinner and then fled away. He had disposed of the clothes he had worn during the crime, but the clothes were recovered from him, the police said.