The Bombay High Court, on Thursday, allowed Vikram Bhave, accused in the Narendra Dabholkar murder case, to travel to Ratnagiri to perform the last rites of his father who died of Covid on June 25. The bench of Justices Sambhaji Shinde and Nizamoodin Jamadar has allowed him to stay there for three weeks.
Earlier, Bhave was granted bail in May on the condition that he must not go out of Pune. However, on Thursday, his advocates Virendra Ichalkaranjikar and Madhur Rai informed the court that Bhave lost his father and had to perform the last rites.
“He has to perform the last rites. Also, there is a huge loan on the family which has to be settled with the banks. He is the only son so needs to take care of all this,” Rai told the court.
After hearing the submissions, Justice Shinde asked when will Bhave leave Pune. The judge also asked Sandesh Patil, special counsel for the prosecuting agency NIA, if he had any objections. To which, Patil said the agency has no objections.
Further, Rai told the bench that his client would visit Sangamneshwar in Ratnagiri on Friday morning and would want to stay there at least for three weeks.
Accordingly, the bench allowed Bhave to stay in Ratnagiri but ordered him to report to the local police station there once a week. “You (Bhave) will have to come back to Pune by August 10 and report to the Pune police,” Justice Shinde said.
Meanwhile, Patil said, “If Bhave doesn't surrender on time then his bail should stand cancelled as per the original bail order.”
However, Justice Shinde pointed out that there isn’t any question of surrendering as he (Bhave) will have to return. “Thus, we list this matter for compliance on August 13," Justice Shinde said.
