The Bombay High Court has released a 44-year-old man on bail. He had been arrested in 2018 on charges related to his alleged involvement with the right-wing group Sanathan Sanstha and for purportedly manufacturing crude explosive devices intended for targeting the Sunburn festival in Pune.

On September 20, a panel of judges consisting of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Gauri Godse granted bail to Vaibhav Raut. Their decision was based on the fact that Raut had been in custody for more than five years, and it appeared that the trial in his case would not be concluded in the near future. The details of the order were made accessible on the following Friday.

Furthermore, the bench expressed the view that the prosecution's case against Raut, specifically regarding his alleged involvement in bomb preparation, lacked corroborating evidence. Additionally, they considered the fact that the storage facility where the explosives were found was not under Raut's ownership.

The bench, in reference to a prior order granting bail to a co-accused, emphasized that the Sanathan Sanstha was not an organization that had been prohibited or officially designated as a terrorist group by the Central government.

Vaibhav Raut was apprehended in 2018 by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on multiple charges under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, the Indian Penal Code, and the Explosives Substances Act. His arrest followed the alleged discovery of crude explosive devices in a storage facility located in Nalasopara, on the outskirts of Mumbai.

In his bail application, Vaibhav Raut's lawyer, Sana Raees Khan, presented the argument that three other individuals implicated in the case had already been granted bail. Khan further contended that the storage facility where the crude explosive devices were discovered was under the ownership of a different individual and not Raut himself. These points were put forth as part of the defense's case for Raut's release on bail.

The prosecution's claim is that Raut and the other defendants were part of a right-wing organization called Sanathan Sanstha, with the aim of establishing a Hindu state. They are accused of secretly organizing a terrorist group in Maharashtra and neighboring states to achieve this objective.

The prosecution claims that the defendants gathered and assembled makeshift explosive devices, which were intended for use during the Sunburn festival in Pune. These explosives were allegedly stored in Raut's home and storage facility.

According to the court's ruling, it stated that Raut was not the owner of either the residence or the storage facility where the alleged bombs were discovered.

"It is important to emphasize that the minimum sentence permissible under the UAPA (Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act) is 5 years, and it can extend up to a life sentence. The appellant, Raut, has been in custody and has been detained for the past 5 years," stated the High Court.

Additionally, the court noted that the trial in this case is not expected to reach a conclusion in the foreseeable future.

In January of this year, Raut sought relief from the High Court after his bail application was denied by a special court in December 2022.