In a significant development, the Gujarat High Court has granted conditional bail to a Chennai-based robotics engineer, Rene Joshilda, who was arrested for allegedly sending hoax bomb threat emails to several prominent institutions in Gujarat. The court, in its order, described the act as that of a 'disturbed person' following a relationship dispute.
Court's Rationale for Granting Bail
Justice Nikhil S Kariel, in an oral order made available on Thursday, November 28, 2024, stated that the court deemed it a fit case to exercise discretion and release the 30-year-old applicant on regular bail. The order took into consideration submissions from both the defense and the prosecution, which had opposed the bail plea.
The court acknowledged that the anonymous emails caused unnecessary harassment to police and the targeted organizations. However, it also noted that 'the applicant appears to be a disturbed person' and that 'the alleged crime may have been committed by the applicant following some dispute in a relationship with a third party.'
Conditions of the Bail and Case Background
Joshilda has been granted bail on a personal bond of Rs 10,000 with several strict conditions. She is prohibited from misusing her liberty or acting in a manner injurious to the prosecution's case. The court has directed her to surrender her passport to the lower court within a week and provide her current residential details to the police, which she cannot change without prior intimation.
The order also highlighted that Joshilda, a 'lady accused,' had been in custody since her arrest on June 28 of this year from Chennai. It was considered that the chargesheet had been filed and that she had been granted bail in similar offences by a sessions court.
The Prosecution's Allegations
According to the prosecution's case, Joshilda deliberately created fake identities in the name of a man named Divij Prabhakar, with whom she had been in a relationship. The emails were allegedly sent in a bid to implicate him after their relationship turned sour.
The hoax bomb threats were sent between May and June to multiple high-profile locations, including the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Geneva School in Sarkhej, B J Medical College, Divya Jyoti school, and even the Gujarat High Court itself. The case was registered at the Bopal police station in Ahmedabad.
The court warned that if Joshilda breaches any of the bail conditions, the concerned sessions court would be free to take appropriate action. The authorities have been instructed to release her only if she is not required in connection with any other offence.
