Palghar lynching: Nine juveniles get bail

PALGHAR: The Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) Bhiwandi on Friday granted bail to nine of the 11 tribals accused in the Palghar lynching case, after the state criminal investigation department (CID) failed to file the final report within the stipulated 90 days.

The parents of the nine minors, through their lawyer, sought bail for them on the ground that the CID had no evidence against them, hence the minors were in illegal detention. The CID was unable to gather any evidence against the minors in the lynching and subsequent mob violence case. Hence, the presiding officer of the JJB granted them bail.

On April 16, Chikne Maharaj Kalpavrukshagiri, 70, Sushilgiri

Maharaj, 35, and Nilesh Telgade, 30, were killed when a mob of locals attacked them at Gadhchinchale, approximately 140 kilometres from Mumbai. The trio was on its way to Surat and Telgade had been driving the car. Five police personnel were also injured in the attack. According to CID, the lynching was caused by rumours that were circulated using Whatsapp, which warned against a group of organ and child traffickers passing through the area. The gathered mob had mistaken the two travellers and their driver to be the traffickers.

Earlier last week,10 accused, against whom the charge sheet was not filed within the stipulated 90 days, were granted default bail by the Dahanu sessions court. They will be released on a personal surety bond of ₹30,000 each, and are likely to walk out of prison this week.