MALA AWADHBIHARI BHARADWAJ AND ANR vs STATE OF MAHARASHTRA AND ANR

Judgment text excerpt

Gitalaxmi 906-APL-1169-2025.doc IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CRIMINAL APPLICATION NO. 1169 OF 2025 1. Mala Awadhbihari Bharadwaj, Age-62 years, Occu.-Household, R/o.-House No. 400A, Ward No. 23, Janpul Station Road, Shantipuri, City – Motihari, Dist.-East Champaran, Bihar-845401. 2. Raushan Awadhbihari Bharadwaj, Age-37 years, Occu.-Service, R/o.-House No. 400A, Ward No. 23, Janpul Station Road, Shantipuri, City – Motihari, Dist.-East Champaran, Bihar-845401. ...Applicants Versus. 1. The State of Maharashtra, Through its Police Inspector, Kondhwa Police Station, Pune. 2. Shruti Raushan Bharadwaj, Age-31 years, Occu.-Service, R/o.-Type 4, C/8 Ekta Vihar, Sec-25, CBD Belapur, Panvel. ...Respondents ------- Ms. Kalyani Mangave, learned Advocate for the Applicants. Mr. Sukanta A. Karmakar, learned A.P.P. for the State/Respondent No.1. Ms. Aarti Pandey, learned Advocate for Respondent No. 2. API Mr. Sachin Thorat attached to Kondhva Police Station is present in the Court. ------- CORAM : ASHWIN D. BHOBE, J. DATE : 11th FEBRUARY 2026. Page 1 of 34 Gitalaxmi 906-APL-1169-2025.doc JUDGEMENT : 1. Heard Ms. Kalyani Mangave, learned Advocate for the Applicants, Mr. Sukanta Karmakar, learned A.P.P. for the State/Respondent No. 1 and Ms. Aarti Pandey, learned Advocate for Respondent No. 2. 2. Given the dispute in this Criminal Application, which is a family matter, on 17.01.2026, the parties were called upon to explore the possibility of a settlement. On 22.01.2026, Ms. Kalyani Mangave, learned Advocate for the Applicants and Ms. Aarti Pandey, learned Advocate for Respondent No. 2, reported that the settlement had failed. 3. This Criminal Application under Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (“BNSS”), is preferred