‘Prima facie involvement seen’: HC rejects bail to accused held for murder of journalist in Ratnagiri district

Amberkar, a prime accused, was arrested on charges including murder and destroying evidence and had alleged to have rammed Warishe’s scooter with his SUV and run him over on February 6, last year. Charges under Maharashtra Media Persons and Media Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss to Property) Act, 2017 were also levelled against him.

Warishe worked with a local Marathi newspaper Mahanagari Times and had been covering issues related to the setting up of the Ratnagiri Refinery & Petrochemicals Ltd (RRPCL) in Barsu, a project which had faced stiff opposition from locals.

According to Ratnagiri police, on February 6, 2023, the accused immediately fled from the scene as locals rushed to help and he was taken to the local hospital in an unconscious state where he succumbed to his injuries the next day.

As per prosecution, the deceased used to cover and write news reports regarding potential and possible adverse effects of the proposed project on the soil and agricultural lands in the region. He had also written reports making allegations against Amberkar that he had purchased various lands in the vicinity of project time in his own name as well as in the name of his relatives.

Amberkar’s lawyer N N Gavankar argued that prosecution’s case was unbelievable and based on circumstantial evidence and there was nothing to show that he was acquainted with the deceased, which the court said had ‘no substance.’ However, senior advocate Gayatri Singh, who represented Arvind Nagale, brother-in-law of Warishe, argued that Amberkar was furious with the deceased for publishing an article against him and exposing his alleged criminal background. Singh added that the material on record suggested Amberkar drove his four-wheeler at a very high speed on the wrong side and that even after it collided with the two-wheeler of the deceased, he dragged Warishe’s scooter for 275 feet with the two-wheeler under the SUV.

Singh along with Additional Public Prosecutor P H Gaikwad for police opposed the plea. She said Amberkar, known supporter of the refinery project, is ‘notorious’ for his illegal activities and is an “influential person with political clout and therefore is capable of influencing the witnesses. Therefore his bail plea be rejected.”

A single-judge bench of Justice Madhav J Jamdar noted that Amberkar, referring to Warishe’s news report, had expressed his intention to eliminate someone and that until it was done, he would not sleep peacefully. “This is a case where prima facie involvement of the applicant can be seen. The prosecution case clearly shows that the applicant is an influential person having contacts with politicians. If the applicant is released on bail, there is a likelihood of the applicant influencing the witnesses. Therefore, considering the circumstances on record, no case is made out for grant of bail,” the bench held.