Ahmedabad, Jul 22 The Gujarat High Court on Wednesday granted bail to AAP MLA Chaitar Vasava's wife and four others in an assault-extortion case in which they were sentenced to seven years' imprisonment earlier, ruling prima facie no overt act was attributed to them as they played a limited role.
A sessions court last month sentenced Chaitar Vasava, his wife, and seven others to seven years' imprisonment in a November 2023 case of assaulting forest officials and extortion. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on each of them.
Ruling on a plea, a single bench of Justice VK Vyas granted bail to Vasava's wife Shakuntaladevi, Ramesh Vasava, Mariyam Vasava, Baliram Vasava, and Mograben Vasava.
Noting that they were not the prime accused, to whom no overt act was attributed, Justice Vyas said they were sentenced on the grounds of "vicarious liability".
The HC also observed that the applicants played a "limited role" in the 2023 offence by hurling abuses without causing any injury to the complainant and the witness.
The bench granted them conditional bail on a personal bond of Rs 15,000 each and surety of equal amount. It also imposed conditions that the five convicts should not indulge in any criminal activity and leave India without the prior permission of the court, among others.
The high court on July 2 allowed the plea of one Shakuntalaben Vasava (wife of an accused Baliram Vasava) who sought bail on humanitarian grounds after delivering a baby.
The HC has so far allowed the pleas of six convicts who had approached for suspension of sentence.
Chaitar Vasava and four other convicts have not yet approached the High Court for suspension of their sentence.
The MLA is currently lodged in the Narmada Central Jail.
