Bombay HC Acquits Resort Owner in Pune Vaishnavi Hagawane Case : Mere Food, Shelter Cannot Establish Harbouring of Absconding Accused, says Court

Pune, 22nd August 2026: The high-profile Vaishnavi Hagawane suicide case has taken a new turn, with the Bombay High Court acquitting resort owner Bandu Phatak, who had been made a co-accused for allegedly sheltering absconding accused Rajendra Hagawane at a farmhouse near Pavana Dam.

Rajendra Hagawane, Vaishnavi’s father-in-law and a Nationalist Congress Party leader, had allegedly gone into hiding following her death. Police had accused Phatak of providing him accommodation and food at a farmhouse in the Pavana Dam area during the period he was absconding. Based on these allegations, Pune Police had named Phatak as a co-accused in the case.

Phatak had approached the Bombay High Court after the Pune Sessions Court rejected his plea seeking discharge from the case. The matter was heard by a bench headed by Justice Shivkumar Dige. Advocate Prashant Patil represented Phatak.

During the hearing, the defence argued that merely providing food or accommodation to an absconding person does not automatically amount to the offence of harbouring an offender.

The High Court observed that providing shelter or food to an absconding accused, by itself, does not establish a person’s involvement in the principal offence. It must be established through concrete evidence that the person knew about the offence and, despite such knowledge, intentionally assisted the accused in evading the law.

The court also held that a person cannot be made a co-accused merely on the basis of suspicion. It accordingly acquitted Phatak from the case, providing him major relief.

Vaishnavi Shashank Hagawane, 23, was found dead under suspicious circumstances at Bhukum in Mulshi taluka of Pune district on May 16, 2025. Her family had alleged that she died by suicide after facing physical and mental harassment over dowry.

Following her death, a case was registered against 11 people, including her husband, mother-in-law, father-in-law and sister-in-law. Rajendra Hagawane had remained absconding for some time and was alleged to have taken shelter at a farmhouse near Pavana Dam.

Phatak was subsequently made a co-accused on allegations that he had provided the absconding accused with accommodation and food. The High Court’s order has now brought relief to Phatak in the case.