Bombay High Court grants acid attack convict Jerrit John bail

The Bombay High Court yesterday granted bail to production house owner Jerrit John who was convicted for throwing acid at his former girlfriend Aryanka Hosbetkar in 2012. The court observed that he had already served more than three years in jail.

File pic of Jerrit John

"We have approached the Bombay High Court saying that IPC Section 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt) was not applicable since four doctors had told the court that there were no serious injuries on Aryanka's face. Justice Abhay Thipsay saw that Jerrit had already spent three years in jail and so he granted him bail," said John's advocate Amin Solkar.

Jerrit John (46), owner of No Nonsense, a production house, allegedly flung acid at his former girlfriend, city-based cyclist Aryanka Hosbetkar (27) at her residence in Worli on November 6, 2012 in the presence of her mother and friends.

Five days later, John was arrested by Dadar police and was booked under IPC Sections 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 379 (theft), 341 (wrongful restraint), 452 (trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint).

In October 2015, John was convicted by a Special Court and sentenced to five years of imprisonment. But the court had acquitted him from the attempt to murder charge while handing him the punishment.

He was asked to furnish a surety of R25,000 and to mark his attendance at Dadar police station, where the case was registered, once a week.

He has also challenged his conviction, which the court will go through soon.

The Bombay High Court has also observed that the material thrown on Aryanka was not actually acid.

Speaking to mid-day, John's mother said, "I wasn't present in the court but the lawyers informed me about his bail. We are going to start the procedure on Wednesday for John's release from the jail. We are very grateful to God and to all who have helped."