Banastarim Accident Case: Bombay HC Grants Relief to AAP Leader Amit Palekar

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday overturned a lower court’s order that had canceled the bail of Aam Aadmi Party’s Goa unit president Amit Palekar in connection with a 2023 road accident that resulted in the deaths of three people.

Palekar had moved the high court on Tuesday, challenging the additional sessions court’s August 26 order, which had canceled his bail for allegedly violating its conditions.

Justice B. P. Deshpande set aside the order issued by additional sessions court judge Apurva Nagvekar. Advocate Nitin Sardesai, representing Palekar, informed reporters that the high court found the district court’s order to be “highly obnoxious” and stated that it should not have been issued, highlighting a gross non-application of mind.

The Crime Branch had filed an application in the sessions court seeking the cancellation of Palekar’s bail, alleging that he had breached the bail conditions by traveling abroad. The investigating agency claimed that while the court had permitted Palekar to travel to France, he violated the conditional bail by visiting other countries.

The road accident, which occurred on August 6, 2023, involved a speeding Mercedes that collided with multiple vehicles on Banastarim Bridge near Panaji. At the time, the Crime Branch had arrested Palekar for allegedly tampering with evidence and attempting to provide a decoy driver to protect Paresh Sawardekar, who was suspected of being the driver at the wheel.