A special MCOCA court in Pune has rejected the bail plea of Kartik Chavan, a co-accused in the murder of history-sheeter Rehan Shaikh. Special Judge Kishor N Shinde observed that investigation material prima facie indicated Chavan's active involvement in the crime.
Court's Observations
On Monday, Special Judge Kishor N Shinde held that although the applicant was not specifically named in the First Information Report (FIR), the investigation papers prima facie revealed his active involvement in the offence. The court noted that the role attributed to Kartik could not be viewed in isolation, considering the prosecution's case that the suspects had acted in furtherance of a common object.
The Incident
The case pertains to the murder that occurred on May 1, 2024, near Park Street Society bridge on the busy Aundh-Ravet road in Rahatani. According to the police, a group of accused allegedly chased and attacked the victim, Shaikh, with sharp weapons in public view. The deceased was a history-sheeter, and the murder stemmed from rivalry between rival groups.
As per the prosecution, complainant Tejas Manohar Hanskar and his friends were travelling on a motorcycle when the suspects allegedly chased and intercepted them near the bridge. The prosecution alleged that Rutik Chavan stabbed Shaikh multiple times with a knife, and co-accused Deepak Kokate assaulted him with a sickle, resulting in his death. One of the co-accused video-recorded the murder on a cellphone, and the footage was allegedly shown in the presence of the applicant, Kartik, at the crime scene.
Defence Arguments
Seeking bail, the defence argued that Kartik was not named in the FIR and no overt act of assault had been attributed to him. The defence contended that the only allegation against him was that he allegedly chased the deceased on a vehicle and was present at the spot. It also sought parity with three co-accused who had secured bail.
Prosecution's Stand
Opposing the plea, Special Public Prosecutor C S Salvi submitted that investigation revealed the applicant rode a scooter allegedly used in chasing the deceased immediately before the murder. The court found this submission credible and dismissed the bail plea.
