After cops falter, Delhi man who killed woman over dog gets bail

Panaji: A Mapusa court has granted bail to a Delhi man, Deepan Batra, who allegedly ran over a Mandrem woman with his four-wheeler after a dispute about a dog. The court said police did not follow the procedure of serving him with his grounds of arrest.

Batra’s lawyer informed the court that Batra is a young man of 24 years, still a student, and coming from a reputed family with no criminal antecedents. He argued that Batra is experiencing incarceration as a victim of a media trial.

Bail was sought on the sole ground that he was not served with the grounds of arrest according to the mandate of law and Article 22(1) of the Constitution.

The investigating officer (IO) stated that Batra appeared at the police station along with his vehicle and parents. After being thoroughly interrogated, Batra allegedly confessed to the crime and was placed under arrest after being informed of the grounds of arrest.

Intimation regarding his arrest was given to his father, and all Supreme Court guidelines were observed, the IO stated.

Public prosecutor R Barreto told the court that the memo of arrest bears the signatures of the accused and his father. Therefore, Section 47 of the BNSS was duly complied with, and there’s no question of bail for non-compliance.

Additional Sessions Judge-2, Mapusa, Apurva R. Nagvenkar, however, held that the arrest memo “does not contain various material details as required under the law, and therefore, it cannot be treated as communication of ‘grounds of arrest’ and therefore he’s entitled to bail.”

The sons of the victim, Maria Fernandes, told the court that they come from a poor family and were supported by their mother, who used to sell tender coconuts at a shop.

Batra allegedly pushed one of Maria’s sons, Joseph, and then assaulted Maria. Batra apparently became enraged after Joseph asked him not to bring his pet dog near their house.

Subsequently, Batra allegedly drove his car at high speed into Maria, who was standing on the road. The impact knocked her down and she was dragged some distance. But Batra didn’t stop his vehicle.

Maria was declared brought dead at the Tuem health centre.