Bombay HC rejects Chheda’s bail plea, orders transfer to JJ Hospital

The Bombay high court recently rejected the bail application filed by Jaya Chheda, accused of killing her husband, matka king Suresh Bhagat, on medical grounds. It has also has asked the jail authorities to transfer her from St. George Hospital to JJ Hospital where she can be treated for her spinal and cardiac problems.

Chheda, who was already on furlough, had sought bail on the ground that she had fallen down at home and was admitted to St. George Hospital. In her bail plea she had claimed that she has developed spinal problem due to the fall and that doctors said she also required angiography.

Additional public prosecutor H.J. Dedia on behalf of the state government, however, had opposed the bail plea saying that the facilities for neurology as well as angiography are available in JJ Hospital and she could be treated there while in jail ward.

Accepting his contention, the division bench of Justice Bhushan R. Gavai and Justice Dr Shalini Phansalkar-Joshi rejected her bail application and directed the jail authorities to take her into custody from St George Hospital and get her admitted into JJ Hospital. The bench has also said that she would continue to be in hospital until her treatment is over.

Bhagat was killed in 2008 when a truck rammed into his car on Alibaug-Pen road. Along with him Valmik Pawar, Dharmendra Kumar, advocate Kamlesh Salunke, Tushar Sahab, Milind Kadam and Kamlesh Karnik were killed.

Later, the Mumbai crime branch found a letter in which Bhagat had claimed his life was threatened by Chheda and her boyfriend Suhas Roge, an aide of gangster-turned politician Arun Gawli, who allegedly wanted his property.

The crime branch had arrested his son Hitesh Bhagat, Roge, Chheda, Pravin Shetty the driver of the truck, Harish Mandvikar and Kiran Amle in the case and booked them for murder and criminal conspiracy.