Pune: In a significant development in the ongoing trial of the brutal murder case of a criminal on record on Taboot Street in Camp, the three accused arrested by Lashkar PS out of which one accused granted bail by the Pune Sessions court on Saturday.

It may be recalled that Arbaz alias Baban Iqbal Shaikh (25), r/o Chudaman Talim Bhavani Peth was hacked to death in the wee hours on 13 January 2024, just days after the murder of gangster Sharad Mohol. Arbaz had a long criminal history with almost 20 serious offences including robbery, extortion, molestation, attempted murder and assault registered against him with Khadak and Samarth PS. He was also imprisoned for a year under the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Slumlords, Bootleggers, Drug Offenders and Dangerous Persons Act (MPDA).

As per police reports, Arbaz and his friend were riding a motorcycle towards Taboot Street when two individuals signalled them to stop ????. The suspects then reportedly pulled Shaikh off the bike and attacked him with sharp weapons, inflicting grievous multiple injuries to his head, face, chest, shoulder and stomach. * All the three attackers including the bike rider fled from the scene.* The incident came to light when an eatery owner informed the cops about the attack. Police later found Shaikh lying in a pool of blood and rushed him to Sassoon General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead by doctors. After preliminary investigations, police arrested Faizan Rafiq Shaikh (26), Gufran Momin (21), Jagdish Dodmani (22), all residents of Bhavani Peth for their alleged involvement.

Asst. Public Prosecutor Shri Kavedia as well as the mother of deceased as intervener resisted the bail application on the grounds that material placed on record, including charge sheet, CCTV footage of the incident, the say of investigating officer and the witness are sufficient reasons to believe that the accused are directly involved in commission of crime. The APP argued that if bail is granted to the accused they will pressurize the informant and witnesses and will tamper the evidence of prosecution.

The defence led by advocate Hafizuddin Kazi and Imtiyaz Shaikh argued that the CCTV Footages are clear and the same are not corroborated with the witnesses, charge sheet is filed and keeping the accused in jail without trial is nothing but pre-trial punishment, which is not permissible in law.

Hearing the prosecution and defence, Session Judge Shri. V. V. Nashikkar cited that the investigation is over and the charge sheet is filed by Police, it means the trial is yet to commence, it require considerable time to conduct and complete the same. However, whether or not the accused has committed an offence is matter of merit, so at this juncture, the accused is released on bail.

Session Judge Shri VV Nashikkar ordered the accused to be released on bail on a PR bond of Rs. 50,000 and two surety, to attend the police station, not to tamper the evidence or to approach any witnesses and not to commit any crime of similar nature.