Bombay high court grants bail to Solapur BJP corporator in MNS politician murder case
Aug 6, 2026, 11.39 PM IST
Kolhapur: The Bombay high court’s Kolhapur bench has granted bail to Solapur Municipal Corporation’s BJP corporator Shalan Shankar Shinde, who is one of the accused in the murder of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena students’ wing city chief Balasaheb Sarwade earlier this year.
Shinde was arrested along with seven others, including her husband, sons, sister and supporters, following Sarwade’s murder on Jan 2. According to the prosecution, Sarwade had filed his nomination for the Solapur Municipal Corporation elections and was allegedly pressured to withdraw it. Though he withdrew his candidature, he allegedly confronted the Shinde family over the treatment meted out to his relatives shortly before he was killed.
Shinde subsequently won the civic election while in judicial custody and had recently been permitted to cast her vote in the MLC election. After her sister, Sharda Shinde, secured bail, Shalan Shinde approached the high court seeking regular bail. The plea was opposed by the prosecution and by Bajirao Pandurang Sarwade, brother of the deceased.
“The applicant is a prominent resident of the area and is a sitting corporator. The applicant has deep roots in the society and is not a flight risk. The applicant also does not have criminal antecedents. The applicant is ready to abide by any condition that may be imposed by this court. The applicant may, therefore, be released on bail,” Shinde’s counsel argued before the court, according to the Aug 4 order.
Opposing the plea, the prosecution and intervenor argued that Shinde was directly named in the FIR and had an active role in the crime.
“The applicant is directly named in the FIR. The applicant is also attributed the role of throwing the chili powder. The applicant is also attributed exhortation to the other accused persons to kill deceased Balasaheb Sarwade... The offence is serious in nature. As the applicant is a sitting corporator, there is every likelihood that the applicant, if released on bail, may influence the witnesses,” they submitted.
Granting bail, Justice Mehroz K Pathan noted discrepancies in eyewitness accounts and the limited role attributed to Shinde in the FIR.
“The apprehensions of the learned APP as well as the learned counsel for the complainant can be taken care of by imposing stringent conditions upon the applicant. The applicant is a woman and has a family to look after. The investigation is complete and the chargesheet is filed. No fruitful purpose would be served by keeping the woman behind bars. Taking into consideration the limited role attributed to the applicant in the FIR and the material discrepancy, occurring in the statements of the eye witnesses, I am inclined to exercise discretion under section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023,” stated Justice Pathan before allowing the bail application and imposing conditions such as personal bond of Rs 1 lakh, showing up at police station once in two months and not entering the jurisdiction of the Jail Road police station untill framing of charges, except when required to mark her attendance.
Shinde was arrested along with seven others, including her husband, sons, sister and supporters, following Sarwade’s murder on Jan 2. According to the prosecution, Sarwade had filed his nomination for the Solapur Municipal Corporation elections and was allegedly pressured to withdraw it. Though he withdrew his candidature, he allegedly confronted the Shinde family over the treatment meted out to his relatives shortly before he was killed.
Shinde subsequently won the civic election while in judicial custody and had recently been permitted to cast her vote in the MLC election. After her sister, Sharda Shinde, secured bail, Shalan Shinde approached the high court seeking regular bail. The plea was opposed by the prosecution and by Bajirao Pandurang Sarwade, brother of the deceased.
“The applicant is a prominent resident of the area and is a sitting corporator. The applicant has deep roots in the society and is not a flight risk. The applicant also does not have criminal antecedents. The applicant is ready to abide by any condition that may be imposed by this court. The applicant may, therefore, be released on bail,” Shinde’s counsel argued before the court, according to the Aug 4 order.
Opposing the plea, the prosecution and intervenor argued that Shinde was directly named in the FIR and had an active role in the crime.
“The applicant is directly named in the FIR. The applicant is also attributed the role of throwing the chili powder. The applicant is also attributed exhortation to the other accused persons to kill deceased Balasaheb Sarwade... The offence is serious in nature. As the applicant is a sitting corporator, there is every likelihood that the applicant, if released on bail, may influence the witnesses,” they submitted.
Granting bail, Justice Mehroz K Pathan noted discrepancies in eyewitness accounts and the limited role attributed to Shinde in the FIR.
“The apprehensions of the learned APP as well as the learned counsel for the complainant can be taken care of by imposing stringent conditions upon the applicant. The applicant is a woman and has a family to look after. The investigation is complete and the chargesheet is filed. No fruitful purpose would be served by keeping the woman behind bars. Taking into consideration the limited role attributed to the applicant in the FIR and the material discrepancy, occurring in the statements of the eye witnesses, I am inclined to exercise discretion under section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023,” stated Justice Pathan before allowing the bail application and imposing conditions such as personal bond of Rs 1 lakh, showing up at police station once in two months and not entering the jurisdiction of the Jail Road police station untill framing of charges, except when required to mark her attendance.