Kalamna murder case: HC rejects state's plea to cancel accused's bail

The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has rejected a plea by the Maharashtra government to cancel the bail of a man accused in a murder case registered at Kalamna police station. Justice Y. G. Khobragade held that the mere registration of new non-cognizable offences against the accused after he was granted bail does not by itself prove that he violated his bail conditions or tried to intimidate witnesses.

The case concerns Uttam alias Baba Sapan Senapati, who is accused of murder under serious sections of the IPC. The High Court had earlier granted him bail on certain conditions on April 1, 2026. Following this, an additional government pleader representing the Maharashtra government filed a criminal application seeking cancellation of his bail.

The prosecution argued that four to five non-cognizable offences had been registered against the accused after he was released on bail, and that this clearly showed he had violated the conditions of his bail order. The government had asked the court to send the accused back into custody until the trial was completed.

During the hearing, the High Court examined the grounds cited for cancelling the bail and held that the registration of new non-cognizable cases alone does not establish that the accused violated his bail conditions. Justice Khobragade also noted in the order that this alone does not permit the conclusion that the accused tried to influence witnesses. The court said concrete evidence directly linked to a violation of bail conditions or to influencing witnesses was required for that.

The accused's lawyer opposed the state's plea, arguing in court that the complaints filed against him were false and that he had been deliberately and wrongly implicated in the case.

After hearing both sides, the Bombay High Court dismissed the state government's plea to cancel the bail. Following the order, the bail earlier granted to the accused remained in force.