abs IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CRIMINAL APPLICATION NO. 198 OF 20078 Anil Narayan Jadhav .. Applicant V/s The State of Maharashtra .. Respondent Mr.P.M. Khankar for the applicant. Mr.K.V. Saste, A.P.P. for the State. CORAM : D.G. KARNIK, J. DATE : 11TH FEBRUARY 2008 P.C. P.C. P.C. : 1. Heard. 2. By this application, the applicant seeks pre-arrest bail under section 438 of the Cr.P.C. in respect of a crime registered with Ahmednagar Tofkhana Police Station under C.R. No.50/2007 for the offence punishable under sections 376, 366(a), 114 read with section 34 of the Indian Penal Code and sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act. - 2 - 3. The applicant had previously applied to this Court for bail. By order dated 8th November 2007, this Court rejected the said application with liberty to the applicant to move the Sessions Court, Mumbai. By order dated 7th February 2008, the Sessions Court, Mumbai also rejected Criminal Application No.1415 of 2007 filed by the applicant. In para 6 of the order, the learned Sessions Judge has given cogent reasons for rejecting the application. I see no reason to take a different view in the matter. 4. I have perused the statement of the victim recorded under section 164 of the Cr.P.C., a copy of which was shown to me by the learned A.P.P. The said statement clearly implicates the applicant to the crime. In the statement, the victim has clearly stated that she was raped on several occasions by different people and has described the role played by the applicant. The applicant is alleged to have received money for the purpose of allowing different people to have intercourse with her. Different people committed the offence of rape at different places. Investigation is required to be carried out at different places and interrogation of different people. This would certainly require custodial interrogation of the applicant and he may be required to be contradicted with the statements of other accused and/or persons. The offence is certainly a - 3 - grave offence punishable with imprisonment for life or 10 years. Considering the nature of the offence, the severity of punishment to be imposed, the applicant cannot be granted bail. The application is rejected. (D.G. KARNIK, J.)