Professor’s murder: Fitness trainer’s 3rd bail plea rejected

Panaji: A Panaji court has dismissed yet another bail application of fitness instructor Gaurav Bidre in the case of the alleged murder of academic and researcher Professor Gauri Achari.

The court said the delay in the trial of the fitness trainer cannot be the grounds to grant him bail as the recording of evidence has already started. Sessions judge, North Goa, Panaji, Irshad Agha found that the proceedings were “not delayed by the prosecution”.

The court, however, directed the trial court to set the dates for hearings, as stipulated by the Supreme Court’s directions, and to record evidence every Monday and Wednesday.

The court also directed the investigating officer to remain present and assist the prosecution in securing the presence of witnesses on the given dates.

Bidre’s two earlier bail applications — filed in this court and the high court — were dismissed last year. Thereafter, another bail application filed before the high court was withdrawn with the liberty to approach the lower court by filing the present bail application.

So, he filed the application seeking bail on the grounds that the trial has not progressed and he is entitled to bail due to the delay in recording the evidence of witnesses. He also said he was falsely implicated in the case.

The prosecution, however, said that the proceedings are being delayed by Bidre by filing application after application.

The public prosecutor A Talaulikar told the court that on a number of occasions, time was sought by Bidre and much of it was spent in dealing with his bail applications.

Also, time of the court was spent in dealing with the release of his vehicle, she added.