Court Springs Surprise: Bail Granted to Khan Trio in 2020 Murder Case

The Bombay High Court approved bail to Nasim Khan, his father Peshkar Khan, and his brother Vasim Khan, all of whom were detained while charged with murder in 2020.

The case concerned an alleged plan to murder Abdul Munaf Abdul Aziz Shaikh, with accusations brought under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act. Munaf was assassinated approximately 5:50 a.m. on August 17, 2020, while on his way to a mosque. The police had accused realtor Ashok Chhajed as the key conspirator, claiming he wanted Munaf removed due to commercial and personal competition over a slum redevelopment project.

The prosecution's case relied mainly on witness statements and the accused's phone data records. The suspects, including two additional accused, Nadim, an employee, and Sonu Azmi, a former employee, were in frequent communication.

The accused's lawyers, Aabad Ponda and Sana Raees Khan, said that Chhajed, the alleged principal conspirator, was previously granted bail by the court owing to a lack of a clear motivation.

They additionally questioned the authenticity of a key witness, a rickshaw puller, whose statement was taken over a year after the occurrence. The prosecution further claimed that the usage of Peshkar Khan's bike by an employee, Nadim, was not unusual, and Nasim and Peshkar were in Uttar Pradesh at the time of the crime.

Advocate Sudeep Pasbola, who represents Munaf's family, challenged the bail, stating that the Peshkars were motivated to destroy Munaf because of his growing importance in the SRA project, which endangered their own interests.

Still, after evaluating the evidence, Justice Manish Pitale determined that there was insufficient material to establish a reason for the Khans to kill Munaf, especially given that the court had already established no motivation for Chhajed.

The court also discounted the importance of the calls between the defendants and Nadim, citing their familial and professional connections. The judge granted bail based on a lack of convincing evidence connecting the Khans to the crime.

Author: Aarya Kadam
News Writer