MP 1 ABA826_11 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CRIMINAL APPLICATION NO. 826 OF 2011 Santosh Ashok Sangale ... Applicant Versus State of Maharashtra ... Respondent Ms Hemangi D. Pathare, Advocate for the Applicant. Mr. Y. M. Nakhwa, APP for the Respondent State. CORAM : J. H. BHATIA, J. DATE : 11TH OCTOBER 2011 P. C. : Heard. 2. The applicant seeks anticipatory bail in Crime No. 111 of 2011 registered with Wavi Police Station for the offences punishable under Sections 306, 323, 498-A, 504, 506 r/w. Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code. 3. The prosecution case, in brief, is that the deceased Meenabai, daughter of complainant Leelabai Sanap was married to accused Prakash Dhondiba Sangale on 15.05.2001, and out of wedlock, they had two daughters. After the birth of the second daughter, she was being physically and mentally harassed by the family members of the accused. Accused persons had asked her to bring amount of Rs. 1,00,000/- from her parents. As the demand could not be fulfilled, she was driven out of the house. On 18.09.2011, an amount of Rs. 51,000/- was actually paid. However, as the balance amount could not be paid, she was ill-treated. Later on, her dead body was found in a field. It is apprehended that she had consumed poison due to which she died. As per the F.I.R. and the statements of several witnesses, she was being physically and mentally harassed and beaten by her husband Prakash Sangale, brother-in-law Bhausaheb Sangale, his wife Thakubai Sangale, father-in-law Dhondiba Sangale and present applicant Santosh Sangale MP 2 ABA826_11 who is a nephew of Prakash Sangale. On perusal of the postmortem report, it appears that, as many as, 16 injuries were found on her body. The viscera was preserved and sent to C.A. but the report is not yet received. The autopsy surgeon has reserved his opinion about the cause of her death. In view of the number of injuries found on her body, it appears that she must have been severely beaten before her death. Therefore, it is difficult to say whether she had consumed poison or poison was administered to her. It may be a case under Section 306 or a case of murder under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. Taking into consideration the allegations made by all the witnesses that the present applicant used to beat and harass deceased Meenabai, and also taking into consideration, the gravity of the matter, in my opinion, it is not a fit case to grant anticipatory bail. 4. Therefore, the application stands rejected. (J. H. BHATIA, J)