1 (Cr.appln 674/10 in Cr.Appeal 496/10) IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CRIMINAL APPLICATION NO.674 OF 2010 IN CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.496 OF 2010 Ashok Narayan Pitale .... Applicant V/s The State of Maharashtra .... Respondent. Ms. Anamika Motale for the applicant. Mrs. P.P. Bhosale, APP for the State. CORAM: V. M. KANADE, J. DATE : 28th July, 2010 P.C.:- 1. Heard the learned Counsel appearing on behalf of the applicant and the learned APP appearing on behalf of the State. 2. Applicant has been convicted for the offence punishable under section 397 of the Indian Penal Code and sentenced to suffer rigorous imprisonment for 7 years and to pay fine of Rs 1000/- and in default of payment of fine to suffer rigorous imprisonment for 1 month. He is also convicted under sections 395 and 392 of the Indian Penal Code read with section 34 of the Indian Penal code and sentenced to suffer 2 (Cr.appln 674/10 in Cr.Appeal 496/10) rigorous imprisonment for 7 years and 3 years respectively and to pay fine of Rs 1000/- and 500/- and in default of payment of fine to suffer rigorous imprisonment for 1 month and simple imprisonment for 15 days respectively. He is also convicted for the offence punishable under section 342 read with section 34 of the Indian Penal Code and sentenced to pay fine of Rs 500/- and in default of payment of fine to suffer simple imprisonment for 15 days. Applicant was on bail during trial. 3. Prosecution case is that the applicant, who is one of the employees working in RCF Company, had held hands of the driver of the car in which office bearers of the RCF Company were travelling. It is the case of the prosecution that the applicant and the other accused halted the car by force and assaulted the complainant and one Shrinivas Rao. Prosecution case is that the applicant took away the wrist watch and cash of Rs 5000/- from P.W.1 – Vikas Thakur, a driver of the car. 4. I have perused the statement of witnesses and the judgment and order of the trial court. Applicant was on bail during trial. It is an admitted position that there was some dispute between the applicant and the Management of RCF Company regarding certain demands made by the employees with the Management. Taking into consideration this fact and the role attributed to the present applicant, 3 (Cr.appln 674/10 in Cr.Appeal 496/10) applicant deserves to be released on bail. 5. Applicant, therefore, be released on bail on execution of P.R. Bond in the sum of Rs 5000/- with one or two sureties in the like amount. Applicant shall report to the concerned Police Station as and when called. 6. Application is disposed of. (V.M. KANADE, J.)