Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The High Court of Bombay at Goa has permitted Advocate Pritesh Prabhu, accused in two separate cases of molestation, stalking and misconduct, to secure his release from Colvale Central Jail after modifying certain bail conditions.
Prabhu had been granted conditional bail in April 2025 but remained behind bars as he was unable to fulfil the original requirement of furnishing a personal bond of ₹20,000 with one surety of the same amount before the South Goa Sessions Court in Margao. He told the court that following the death of his father — a senior lawyer who allegedly died by suicide soon after the first case was registered in 2024 — he was unable to find a guarantor.
Justice Shreeram Shirsat accepted this plea and allowed Prabhu to deposit ₹20,000 in cash for four weeks in lieu of surety. “The applicant shall execute a personal bond of ₹20,000 and, in lieu of surety, shall temporarily deposit cash of the like amount for four weeks from the date of release,” the court ordered.
Prabhu’s counsel argued that the advocate had no family support to arrange surety and that his father’s death had left him in financial and personal distress. In his suicide note, Prabhu’s father had alleged harassment by police officials in connection with the cases against his son.
While granting relief on the surety condition, the High Court rejected Prabhu’s plea to relax two other restrictions. One related to limitations on his entry into Margao and surrounding areas — with access permitted only on days of court hearings. Justice Shirsat declined to amend this, citing the need to ensure the safety of victims.
The Court also refused to modify the requirement for disclosure of personal details. Prabhu has been directed to provide his Aadhaar, residential address, email ID, and phone number to the investigating officer, and to immediately update the authorities if he acquires a new mobile number.
