Mumbai, January 25, 2022 – Ashok Vittal Surwade, a railway employee, has been denied bail by the Sessions Court for Greater Mumbai in connection with his wife’s suicide. Additional Sessions Judge Sonali P. Agarwal (Court Room No. 41) issued the order on January 25, 2022.

Surwade was arrested in connection with C.R. No. 18/2022, registered at the Nehru Nagar Police Station, for offenses under Sections 306 (abetment of suicide) and 498(A) (cruelty by husband or relatives) read with 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Background and Allegations:

The prosecution alleged that Surwade’s wife committed suicide due to his and his family’s harassment. The complainant, the deceased’s mother, stated that her daughter was married to Surwade on June 3, 2012. She alleged that Surwade was an alcoholic and physically abused his wife. She further stated that three years prior, Surwade demanded Rs. 3,20,000 from her to purchase a house, which she provided, but was never shown the property. The complainant also alleged that Surwade’s mother, Vanita, abused her daughter for domestic work. Additionally, it was alleged that Surwade was having an extramarital affair with a woman named Deepali, and when his wife confronted him, he abused her. Deepali also allegedly abused and threatened the deceased.

Arguments Presented:

Advocate Pravin G. Pillay, along with Advocate Lalitprabha P. Pillay, represented Surwade. They argued that Surwade’s wife was happily married and that Deepali was the true culprit behind her death, as she had threatened the deceased. They presented letters purportedly written by the deceased to Janseva Samajik Sanstha and Rajya Mahila Aayog, Bandra, suggesting that she was happily married but troubled by Deepali’s interference. They also claimed that Surwade had filed a complaint against Deepali with the Nehru Nagar Police Station. They emphasized that Surwade had been employed with the Railways since 2010 and had dependents.

Additional District Public Prosecutor (ADPP) Meera Choudhary-Bhosale represented the State.

Court’s Reasoning and Decision:

Judge Agarwal considered the prosecution’s allegations, including the demand for Rs. 3,20,000 and the alleged extramarital affair. The court also reviewed the letters submitted by Surwade. The court noted that in the letter to Janseva Samajik Sanstha, the deceased mentioned that she had come to know about her husband and Deepali talking to each other. In the letter to Rajya Mahila Aayog, she mentioned that Deepali and her husband were in contact again.

The court stated that at this prima facie stage, there was nothing to indicate that the FIR was false. Considering that the investigation was ongoing, the court concluded that there was a possibility that Surwade might threaten witnesses and tamper with evidence if released on bail.

Decision:

The court rejected Surwade’s bail application.

Order Details:

The order was dictated, transcribed, and signed on January 25, 2022, and uploaded on the same day at 3:53 p.m.

This decision reflects the court’s consideration of the seriousness of the allegations, the ongoing investigation, and the potential risks to witnesses and evidence.