PANAJI
An Indore-based man who had been imprisoned for more than two years on charges of running a prostitution racket in Goa has been granted bail.
Anand Gautam alias Basu, currently lodged in Colvale Central Jail had filed a plea in the High Court of Bombay at Goa seeking bail for the offenCes registered against him by the Crime Branch in October 2020.
The charges included section 370(3) of the Indian Penal Code (trafficking of a person) read with section 34 (common intention), as well as sections 4, 5, and 7 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956, whereas Basu was arrested in February 2021. His earlier bail application was rejected by the trial court after which he approached the High Court for relief.
While the accused submitted that as many as 33 witnesses are yet to be examined during the trial indicating that he might continue to languish in jail till the trial concludes. The State, on the other hand, informed the Court only one of the three victims is examined and among other witnesses, all will not be examined.
Apprehending Basu could interfere with the witnesses given that he is a habitual offender involved in similar offences within the State, the CB sought to reject his plea on merits.
Accepting CB's submission of his criminal history, the Bench of Justice M S Karnik however noted that the trial is likely to take a long time to conclude and as the applicant is in custody for almost two years and four months, he can be released on bail.
“There are three criminal antecedents of a similar nature against the applicant but, in my opinion, the same is not sufficient to disentitle the applicant to the facility of bail as stringent conditions can be imposed,” reads the order while granting him bail.
