LexSTATE OF MAHARASHTRA versus RAMESH TAURANI
Open in Lexace · Ask the AI about this caseJudgment (excerpt)
STATE OF MAHARASHTRA A v. RAMESH TAURANI NOVEMEBER 26, 1997 [M.K. MUKHERJEE AND K.T. THOMAS, JJ.] B Code of Criminal Procedure 1973: Sections .437 & 439. Bail-Principle for grant of-Murder-Respondent arrested on the ground that he was party to the criminal conspiracy-Allegation that he C paid money to the contract killers-Respondent arrested and remanded to ~ judicial custody-His prayer for bail rejected by the Magistrate-Bail granted by High Court-High Court influenced by the fact that in the remand applications that were presented by the investigating agency in respect of accused persons who had been earlier arrested in connection with the case, D the name of the respondent was nowhere disclosed as a party to -the conspiracy-Other factor taken into account by High Couri was that the only evidence collected against the accused was that he paid money to the killers-Appeal preferred by State for cancellation of bail-Held, investigating agency has made out a strong prime facie case against the respondent- accused-lnvestigating agency is not required to state in remand application E the materials, if any, collected against a person who is yet to be arrested-- The non-disclosure of the name of the respondent as a conspirator (who was not arrested till then) in the remand applications of others arrested could not-and ought not to-have been made a ground by the High Court for disbelieving the prosec]Jtion case qua the respondent and for that matter, F granting bail to him-The High Court should not have granted bail to the respondent considering the seriousness of the allegations levelled against him, particularly at a stage when investigation is continuing-Bail order passed by High Court set aside. of Investigation-Remand applications filed during-Object and purpose G CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Criminal Appeal No. I I 12 of 1987. From the Judgment and Order dated 23.10.97 of the Bombay High Court in Cr!. Application No. 3101 of1997. H 463 464 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1997] SUPP. 5 S.C.R. A D.M. Nargolkar for the Appellant. A.S. Bhasme for the Respondent. The following Order of the Court was delivered : B Leave granted. Heard the learned counsel for the parties. On August 12, 1997 at or about 10.15 A.M. Gulshan Kumar, a well- known film producer of Mumbai and Chairman of a company dealing in cassettes, was fatally shot at in the heart of the city. Over his death a case was registered and in connection therewith the respondent, who also carries C on a large scale business in cassettes, was arrested on October 4, 1997 on .the allegation that he was a party to the criminal conspiracy that was hatched up to kill Gulshan Kumar through contract killers. On his production before a Magistrate, the respondent was intially remanded to the custody for a fortnight and thereafter to the judicial eustody. His paryer for bail was rejected D by the Magistrate and aggrieved thereby he moved the High Court. By its order dated October 23, 1997, the High Court granted him bail on condition that he shall not leave the limits of the State of Maharashtra without informing the police and without giving the entire itinerary of the programme of his visit. Assailing the above order, the State of Maharashtra has filed this appeal for cancellation of the bail granted to the respondent. E F Normally, this court does not interfere with orders granting bail but considering the nature and gravity of the offence alleged against the respondent and the materials collected against him during investigation, Wj:) are of the opinion that this is a fit case where the order of the High Court has got to be set aside to prevent mis-carriage of justice. It appears from the impugned order that in granting bail to the respondent the High Court was much influenced by the fact that in the remand applications that were presented by the investigating agency in respect of accused persons who had been earlier arrested in connection with the case, the name of the G respondent was nowhere disclosed as a party to the conspiracy. Remand applications are to be filed by the investigating agency to satisfy the Court that there are justifiable grounds to detain an accused already arrested, in police or judicial custody. By such applications the investigating agency is required to bring to the notice of the Court the materials collected against an arrested 'accused to persuade the Court to remand him to cus
Excerpt shown. Read the full judgment & AI analysis in Lexace.