Arrest Sumit Thakur in 48 hours: HC High Court cancels bail of Thakur who is facing 22 serious cases
| Date :03-Mar-2020 |
Staff Reporter :
Sending a tough message to anti-socials brazenly misusing the bail conditions and indulging in criminal activities, Nagpur bench of Bombay High has cancelled the bail granted to Sumit Thakur, who is facing 22 serious cases. The High Court further directed Nagpur Police to arrest him in next 48 hours and produce him before the jurisdictional court. Justice Rohit Deo, while allowing the application moved by the prosecution seeking cancellation of Sumit Thakur’s bail due to his involvement in a murderous assault, observed, “Thakur poses a veritable danger to the peace, tranquility and physical safety of the law abiding citizenry, not only due to the propensity to indulge in criminal activities, but further in view of the brazen defiance of the judicial process of which the breach of the bail conditions is but a manifestation.”
Thakur was arrested by Gittikhadan Police in connection with Crime No 451/2015 for the offences punishable under Sections 143, 147, 148, 149, 427, 323, 506-II, 504 and 279 read with Section 3(1)(x) of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, and Section 3 of Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, 1999 (MCOCA). After spending lot of time behind bars, Thakur had approached the High Court seeking bail. The High Court while granting bail on April 13, 2017 had directed Sumit not to enter Nagpur except on the dates fixed by the court in the pending trial. Thakur breached the bail condition and entered the city limits of Nagpur on August 10, 2017 and February 15, 2018 after which another offence was registered against him.
The prosecution had sought cancellation of his bail and the High Court on March 7, 2018 had allowed the same. However, two months later, Sumit Thakur again moved the High Court fairly conceding his mistake committed in violating the bail conditions and tendered apology and solemnly assured not to repeat the mistake. The High Court on May 2, 2018 released Sumit with a terse warning not to enter city of Nagpur except on the dates fixed by the court in the pending trial. But within a month, Thakur entered the city limits and also participated in a murderous assault on Kuldeep Pande by opening fire from handgun for which another offence was registered by Gittikhadan Police for offences punishable under Sections 307, 143, 147, 148 and 149 of the Indian Penal Code, Sections 3 and 25 of the Arms Act, and Section 135 of the Maharashtra Police Act.
The prosecution moved this application before the High Court seeking cancellation of bail granted to Thakur citing his repeated indulgence in criminal activities and regular breach of bail condition. Respondent-Thakur claimed that he was falsely implicated in the latest case by his rival and maintained that on the day of the incident he was not present on the spot. His counsel submitted that the complainant too had a dubious record and even the Investigating Officer found that he had falsely implicated two other persons. Rejecting this feeble justification, the High Court pointed out that Thakur was very much present in the city and observed that he did not deserve the liberty bestowed by the court and cancelled the bail restored to him “under the misplaced trust that Sumit Thakur was serious in the unconditional apology and undertaking.”
Evidently, the intent of Sumit Thakur was to take this court for a ride, the High Court noted while directing Gittikhadan Police to ensure his arrest and production before the jurisdictional court within 48 hours. APP M K Pathan appeared for the prosecution while Adv Devendra Chauhan and Adv A Kesari represented Thakur.