Dentist Suicide Case: Maha Minister's PA moves sessions court for bail
Mumbai: Maharashtra minister Pankaja Munde's personal assistant, Anant Garje, who was arrested for allegedly abetting the suicide of his doctor wife, on Monday moved the sessions court for bail, claiming the allegations against him were 'vague' and that the case was an outcome of ''emotional distress'' following the tragic incident.
The deceased, a 28-year-old dentist working at civic-run KEM Hospital, allegedly hanged herself in her flat at Worli in central Mumbai on November 22 last year. She and Garje got married in February last year. Garje and two of his kin were booked for abetment of suicide and other offences by Worli police on the complaint of the deceased’s father.
Garje’s plea, filed through advocate Mangesh Deshmukh before additional sessions judge Rupali Pawar, said, “The FIR does not disclose any direct, specific, or proximate act of abetment or cruelty attributable to them which could constitute an offence under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.” Garje’s plea claimed that family members are implicated only due “to a matrimonial dispute and to exert pressure upon the husband, which amounts to misuse of law”, news agency PTI reported.
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The plea asserted the allegations made in the FIR were “vague, omnibus, and lacking specific details regarding any date, place or act that could constitute instigation or participation in any manner”.
The accused stated the case against him was based merely on suspicion and assumptions without any substantive facts.
“No independent statement, documentary evidence or electronic communication or any particular event connects the applicant with the alleged harassment or the unfortunate death,” his plea said, reports PTI.
It emphasized that it was clear from the FIR that “there is no active instigation by the applicant to the deceased at any point of time”.
Further, it said “not a single medical report, complaint, or witness statement connects the applicant with any physical assault or cruelty”.
The FIR is a result of an afterthought and emotional distress after the tragic incident, the plea said.
The court has sought the prosecution’s response and adjourned the matter to January 19.
In the police complaint, the deceased's family has alleged that she was tortured and harassed by her husband, and this led her to take the extreme step. They have also claimed that Garje had an extramarital affair.
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