Pre-arrest bail to woman lawyer booked for ‘abetting suicide’ of ex-corporator denied

The Kurla police has claimed that on the day of the suicide, Sudhir and the accused made 56 phone calls, and WhatsApp and video calls to each other.

Prosecutor Iqbal Solkar has submitted before the court that the accused was interested in contesting the BMC elections, and was demanding tickets from Sudhir, leading to a dispute between the two.

According to the phone call recordings, the accused had been “harassing and blackmailing Sudhir that she would die by suicide if he did not talk to her”, said police. The calls were recorded in Sudhir’s cellphone, revealing that there was an ongoing argument between the duo over the past few days; and Sudhir had spoken to the accused for two hours before he died by suicide.

Police said that Sudhir allegedly died by suicide amidst “harassment” by the accused. The call recordings in Sudhir’s cellphone also revealed that even after the deceased had requested the woman lawyer to stop making calls and harassing him, she continued to do so till the time he died by suicide.

According to police, they could not find the accused lawyer at her known residence or sister’s house, and her cellphone was found to be switched off. A notice issued to her through email, directing her to join the investigation, also did not yield a response; and she was not present before the investigators, claimed police.

Lawyer Subir Sarkar, representing the accused woman, said that “personal problems in a relationship do not amount to abetment, and the deceased was well within his realm to call off the relationship”. He also said that the accused has always been ready to cooperate in the investigation.

Police have, however, highlighted that the accused could escape if the pre-arrest bail was granted as she has not been present for interrogation. It was submitted before the court that the daughter of the accused resides in Dubai, and so, the “accused could be a flight risk”. The phone call records have to be analysed properly, with her voice samples being taken, said police, adding that certain phone chats between the duo were found to be deleted, which they want to analyse further. They also mentioned that the accused could “pressurise witnesses” if granted the anticipatory bail.

Considering the police’s submission, the court said that the former should be given an opportunity to conduct the probe properly, while rejecting the anticipatory bail plea.