Pune: Driver Accused in 2025 Hinjawadi Bus Fire That Killed 4 Employees Gets Bail
Hinjawadi, 25th March 2026: An Additional Sessions Court in Pune has granted bail to Janardhan Nilkanth Humbardikar, a commercial bus driver accused of intentionally setting a company vehicle on fire last year. The tragic incident, which took place in Hinjawadi, claimed the lives of four employees and left five others severely injured.
The bail order was officially passed by Additional Sessions Judge S.R. Salunkhe on March 23, 2026.
Allegations of Premeditated Arson
The horrific event unfolded on the morning of March 19, 2025. According to the prosecution’s narrative, Humbardikar was driving a Tempo Traveler carrying employees of Vyoma Company. Upset over an ongoing dispute in which the passengers allegedly demanded he perform tasks outside of his driving duties, Humbardikar is accused of seeking retaliation.
Prosecutors claim he placed a cloth soaked in Benzine chemical inside the moving bus and ignited it. He then allegedly jumped from the vehicle without applying the brakes, causing the out-of-control bus to crash into a nearby tree. Because the rear seating arrangement of the bus had been modified, passengers were reportedly blocked from accessing the emergency exit. As the fire engulfed the vehicle, four trapped employees burned to death, while five others sustained significant injuries.
Following a complaint by PSI Datta Kale of the Hinjawadi Police Station, Humbardikar was arrested on March 27, 2025, and charged under Sections 103(1), 109(1), and 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Defence Claims Tragic Accident
During the bail hearing, Humbardikar’s defence counsel, Adv. Raghav Puranik, vigorously contested the prosecution’s claims, arguing that the fatal fire was purely a mechanical accident devoid of any malicious intent. The defence stated that the driver suddenly noticed smoke and flames erupting near his leg while operating the vehicle. Forced to act on instinct as his own trousers caught fire, he leapt from the bus to save his life, suffering burn injuries himself.
The defence further maintained that Humbardikar was falsely implicated as an afterthought. They emphasized that he had fully cooperated with law enforcement throughout the investigation, which has now concluded with the official filing of the chargesheet.
Court Ruling and Bail Conditions
After evaluating the rival submissions, Judge S.R. Salunkhe noted that the police investigation was complete and the applicant had already spent a year behind bars. Emphasizing the foundational legal principle that an accused cannot be presumed guilty before trial, the judge ruled that the true nature of the incident—whether an intentional act of sabotage or a tragic accident—must be thoroughly examined and determined during the upcoming trial.
Finding no justification to detain the applicant indefinitely, the court approved the bail plea.
Humbardikar was ordered to be released on a personal recognizance (P.R.) bond of Rs. 30,000, backed by one surety of a matching amount. To ensure the integrity of the impending trial, the court imposed strict bail conditions:
The accused is explicitly barred from contacting, inducing, or threatening the informant or any witnesses.
He must submit documented proof of his permanent residence.
He must maintain updated contact information for himself and two close relatives with the authorities at all times.
