Nagpur: In a new twist in the fatal Ram Jhula accident case in Nagpur, Mohd Atik, a relative of one of the victims, filed an application on Saturday before the Principal District Judge, requesting the reassignment of the District and Additional Sessions Judge currently handling the prosecution’s plea to cancel the bail and permit the re-arrest of the accused, Ritika Maloo. According to a local media report, the relatives of the victims are demanding speedy justice, as the accused Ritika Maloo remains free.
District and Additional Sessions Judge R.S. Patil is presently hearing the prosecution’s plea under Section 439(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) to revoke Maloo’s bail and allow the Tehsil police to arrest her under the non-bailable Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. This charge was added after Maloo’s blood sample revealed traces of alcohol. Initially, she had been booked and arrested under the bailable Section 304A of the IPC and was bailed out on the same day, February 25.
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Tuesday 21 Jan. 2025
Victim Mohd Atif’s elder brother, Atik, mentioned in his application to the Principal District Judge that the prosecution sought to expedite the hearing earlier in the week, but the court granted the defence time to file their reply by August 9. The victim’s family emphasized that in the interest of justice, the case needs to be heard without further delay.
Atik also noted in his application that Maloo is roaming free despite being charged under non-bailable sections. He underscored the severity of the case, which resulted in the death of two young individuals, Ateef and Mohd Hussain Mustafa, who were killed when Maloo’s car, driven under the influence of alcohol, rammed into their scooter on the Ram Jhula flyover. Following the accident, Maloo and her friend Madhuri Sarda fled the scene. The prosecution claims that documents and other materials were removed from the car, supporting their plea for Maloo’s custodial interrogation.
The defence has requested CCTV footage from the Tehsil Police Station from March 18, 22, and 23, and July 1, to demonstrate that Maloo had repeatedly visited the police station, although her presence was not recorded. The Tehsil police are required to submit this footage by August 9.
Last week, the Sessions Court dismissed two revision pleas from the prosecution against the judicial magistrate first class’s order rejecting applications for the cancellation of Maloo’s bail and her re-arrest, citing procedural lapses.
The case continues to unfold, with the next significant date being August 9, when the court will review the CCTV footage and the defence’s reply.
