Team Herald
PANJIM: Jailed for over two years for allegedly operating prostitution activities from a hotel in Goa’s northern coastal belt, the accused was on Friday granted conditional bail by the High Court of Bombay at Goa.
Sarita Shinde, presently in the judicial custody at Colvale Central Jail, along with her accomplice was arrested under Immoral (Traffic) Prevention Act and Indian Penal Code in November 2018.
Her previous bail applications were rejected by the trial Court after which she approached the High Court seeking relief. In the meanwhile, the police filed the charges heet pending before the Additional Sessions Judge, Mapusa.
Her counsel Rohan Dessai, during the hearing pointed out to the court that the applicant is a woman without any criminal antecedents; and that she has already been in judicial custody for over two years. Whereas, the Additional Public Prosecutor P Faldessai opposed the bail stating that the offence is grave. The Court observed that it ought not to be swayed by sympathy and indeed, offence is grave.
“The applicant has already been in judicial custody for over two years. She is a woman without any criminal antecedents. As the charge sheet has already been filed, and the matter is ripe for trial. I reckon this is a fit case for the Court to grant the bail,” the Bench of Justice Dama Seshadri said while pronouncing the order granting the alleged accused conditional bail.
