No bail for accused who claimed to be infected by coronavirus

However, the session court here said the accused has been chargesheeted for murder and dacoity among other offences and had also assaulted a public servant while in custody.These offences were serious in nature, additional session judge S S Oza said.

A court here has refused to grant interim bail to a murder accused, who claimed that he had been infected by coronavirus last month. The court on June 7 heard the bail plea of an undertrial, who has been in jail since 2017, and had tested positive for the deadly virus on May 6.

The undertrial's lawyer cited a Supreme Court order that allowed interim bail plea of an accused if he or she tests positive for COVID-19, without considering the merits of case. However, the session court here said the accused has been chargesheeted for murder and dacoity among other offences and had also assaulted a public servant while in custody.

These offences were serious in nature, additional session judge S S Oza said. While rejecting the bail plea, the court also noted that the accused had submitted a month-old report from Mumbai Central Prison stating that he had tested positive for COVID 19 and there were no official records about his medical condition.