The Bombay High Court Wednesday granted bail to Haryana resident Pawankumar Gahalon,a suspect in the acid attack on nursing graduate Preeti Rathi. GRP had arrested the 24-year-old engineering student on May 8,a week after a masked man hurled acid at Preeti at Bandra Terminus. She died in Bombay Hospital on June 1. Pawankumars father Azadsingh expressed relief as previous bail applications were rejected by the railway court and sessions court. I was confident that GRPs case wouldnt stand in the HC, he said. GRP suspect that the attacker travelled on the same train as the Rathis between May 1 and 2,but Azadsingh said his son was in Rohtak on those days. The HC observed that Preetis father Amarsingh had verified Pawankumars alibi. He submitted an affidavit in the railway court on May 17,vouching for Pawankumars innocence. While GRP based their case on the fact that Preeti had told them that she may have seen Pawankumar at Delhis Nizamuddin station on May 1,Amarsingh told investigators that he wasnt. The court observed that Pawankumar had been arrested only on the basis of suspicion when he called Preetis sister Tannu four days after the attack. Preeti had told police she had not spoken to Pawankumar for several years and there was no motive to commit the offence. Police had also questioned men aged over 18 from Delhis Narela area,where the Rathis live,after Preeti told to them that the sketch of the accused could be of Pawankumar or two boys from the neighbourhood. Crucially,the court noted,Preeti told the police that she was not sure. The court observed that there was communication from Haryana CM to Maharashtra CM demonstrating grievance that the real culprit has not ever been booked. Additional Public Prosecutor P P Shinde submitted that there was communication between Additional Chief Secretary of Maharashtra and director of CBI and the probe was likely to be transferred to CBI.
