Journalism of Courage
An accused in the Mohsin Shaikh murder case has requested release on bail arguing that despite two years of incarceration, the trial has not progressed and it may take many more years to be completed.
Rahul Sukhdev Kurule (21), a resident of Kalepadal near Hadaspar, and a member of Hindu Rashtra Sena (HRS), has submitted a bail application to the court arguing that he has been behind bars since June 2014 and he had no role to play in the alleged murder.
Kurule’s lawyer Milind Pawar has argued that Shaikh was killed in a unplanned stone pelting that had errupted in Hadapsar on the night of the incident after some unidentified elements posted derogatory pictures of Shivaji Maharaj on social networking sites.
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“The complaint is against 20 to 25 unidentified people and the complainant who is the deceased’s brother has not identified my client. Also, no weapon has been seized from the accused. Three other accused have been granted bail by the Bombay High Court on the same grounds,” Pawar said.
“Although it has been almost two years since his arrest, the trial has not yet started and it may take many more years before it concludes. In the light of all these facts, my client should be granted bail like the three other co-accused,” Pawar added.
Earlier this month, the HC had granted bail to Shubham Dattatrey Barade (19), Mahesh Maruti Khot (24) and Abhishek alias Banti Sayaji Chavan (28)—all residents of Kalepadal. However, the prime accused, HRS president Dhananjay Jayram Desai and 20 others are still lodged at Yerwada jail since June 3, 2014.
Shaikh (28) was killed on June 2, 2014 in Hadapsar. The incident followed certain objectionable comments posted on social networking sites about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray.
