eam Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The High Court of Bombay at Goa granted conditional bail to Pritesh Adkonkar of Merces, a constable with the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB), who was arrested in July of last year on accusations of murder.
Adkonkar was freed by the court on a Rs 50,000 personal bail with two solvent sureties of the same amount. Within eight days after his release, he must turn in his passport to the Sessions Court, refrain from influence, and get in touch with any witnesses or family members.
Additionally, he has been instructed to report to the Old Goa police station every Sunday between 10 and 11 a.m. till the trial is over and to refrain from leaving the state without the Sessions Court’s prior consent.
In July of last year, the Old Goa police arrested Adkonkar and his accomplice Krupesh Volvoikar of Salvador do Mundo on suspicion of killing Jayesh Chodankar, a taxi driver from Chinchwada, Chimbel.
Adv. Arun Bras De Sa argued on behalf of the petitioner, stating that the police merely invoked Section 302 of the IPC in response to pressure tactics and the deceased’s family’s objection. He said that there are two FIRs lodged back-to-back on the allegations that the applicant along with one person abused Chodankar with filthy words, threatened him with dire consequences, abducted and assaulted with slaps, fist blows and iron rods thereby causing bodily injuries.
De Sa said that the post-mortem examination report would unequivocally show that the victim’s death was caused by severe bleeding and crushing injuries to both of his legs. He argued that there was no evidence of an offense punishable under Section 302 of the IPC to prevent him from being granted bail.
Pravin Faldessai, an additional public prosecutor, informed the court that the applicant and other accused were so enraged that they beat the victim with an iron rod before bringing him to Adkonkar’s father-in-law’s residence, where he was beaten with an iron rod once again.