Bombay High Court Grants Conditional Bail in Jalna Bribery Case
The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court has approved conditional bail for suspended Jalna municipal commissioner Santosh Mahadeo Khandekar, who was arrested in an alleged Rs 10 lakh bribery case. The court's decision came on November 25, though the formal release procedures are expected to be completed on Saturday.
Stringent Bail Conditions Imposed
Justice Mehroz K Pathan, while granting bail, imposed several strict conditions on Khandekar. The court has prohibited him from entering Jalna city limits until the chargesheet is filed by the investigating agency and the complainant's evidence is officially recorded. Additionally, Khandekar must execute a personal release bond of Rs 1 lakh with one or two local solvent sureties.
The court has mandated that Khandekar must report to the police station every Friday between 11 am and 2 pm until the chargesheet is filed in the case. These conditions aim to ensure that the suspended official doesn't interfere with the ongoing investigation or influence potential witnesses.
Background of the Corruption Case
Santosh Mahadeo Khandekar was arrested on October 16 by Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials following a trap laid at his official bungalow. The case involves allegations that Khandekar demanded a bribe of Rs 10 lakh to clear running bills of a government contractor related to civic works execution.
According to his lawyer Amit Yadkikar, while the High Court passed the bail order on November 25, they received the official copy only on Friday evening. "We will present the same to the jail authorities to fulfill his release formalities on Saturday," Yadkikar told TOI.
Court's Reasoning for Bail Grant
The High Court bench observed that further detention of Khandekar would serve no productive purpose since the investigation in the case has been substantially completed. The court noted that transcript panchnamas have been recorded and the voice sample of the accused has already been collected and sent to the forensic laboratory for analysis.
Important documents pertaining to the contract and work order for the 15 meter and 12 meters wide DP Road from Walmik Nagar Bridge to Ring Road for Municipal Corporation Jalna, along with other contracts and bank account statements of the IDBI Bank in the name of Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Jalna have already been collected by investigators.
The court referenced a similar bail order from earlier this year, stating that once investigation is complete and key evidence like transcript panchnamas are prepared, voice samples recorded, and statements of panch witnesses collected, further detention of the accused would amount to pre-trial punishment.
Legal Arguments and Opposition
Khandekar's lawyer, Manoj Mohite, argued that the investigation against his client was nearly complete and that the state government had already suspended Khandekar on November 21. He maintained that there was no possibility of his client influencing witnesses or weakening the prosecution's case.
However, Additional Public Prosecutor S G Sangle opposed the bail, citing that the chemical analysis and forensic report of Khandekar's voice sample were still awaited. He also noted that a proposal to secure sanction for prosecuting the government servant is pending before the competent authority.
Lawyer A B Ghule-Patil, representing the government contractor-complainant, expressed concerns about Khandekar potentially influencing witnesses given his former position in Jalna city and his local connections. The court acknowledged these concerns but stated that they could be adequately addressed through stringent bail conditions.
Khandekar is expected to walk out of Jalna district jail on Saturday after completing the necessary release formalities, marking a significant development in this high-profile corruption case that has drawn considerable public attention.
