PANAJI
The Bombay High Court at Goa on Thursday granted bail to Paresh Sawardekar, the alleged driver of the speeding Mercedes that claimed three lives at the Banastarim bridge in early August after the Crime Branch that is currently probing the case told the High Court that the investigation is substantially complete and they do not require his custody any longer.
The High Court ordered that Sawardekar be released upon furnishing a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh with one or more surety in the like amount to the satisfaction of the Additional Sessions Judge, Panaji sitting at Ponda.
The High Court also directed him to appear before the Investigating Officer for one week upon release between 10 am to 1 pm and thereafter as and when called upon and shall cooperate in investigation as well as imposed conditions that he shall not tamper with the evidence, not leave the State of Goa without the permission of the trial Court and provide the details of his passport to the investigating agency.
During the hearing public prosecutor Bhobe told the court that the “major part of investigation is concluded and further detention of the applicant is not necessary.”
The Crime Branch also told the court that during the course of investigation statements of eye witnesses and other witnesses were recorded, that the prosecution case proceeds on the basis that the applicant was driving the vehicle at the time of incident in question.
“Forensic evidence is being collected and will be forwarded for analysis to the concerned agencies. Statements of the wife of the applicant and children were recorded under Sections 161 and 164 of CrPC. Two injured persons are discharged from hospital and one is undergoing treatment,” the prosecution told the court.
Sawardekar filed for bail before the High Court after his bail application before the Sessions Court was rejected. He said that he was in custody for a “substantial period of time” and that his further detention was “not necessary.”
On Wednesday, the Sawardekar family “offered” to pay Rs 2-crore to the victims of the accident after being directed to do so by the High Court.
