Ahmedabad: The Gujarat high court on Friday ordered the temporary release of a man from Lajpore Central Jail in Surat, granting him a few hours under police escort to perform the last rites of his pet dog, which had been his companion for 14 years.The man was sent to judicial custody after his estranged wife alleged that he had defrauded her of more than Rs 17 lakh. He is accused of withdrawing the proceeds of her life insurance policy through forged signatures. The couple has been living apart for over three years after the wife left his home, alleging harassment.She lodged a complaint at Athwalines police station in Feb, leading to her husband’s arrest and remand to judicial custody by a Surat court. The accused filed a regular bail application before the high court on March 10. On Friday, however, his legal team appeared before Justice Utkarsh Desai with an urgent plea seeking his temporary release on the grounds that his dog had died.The accused’s lawyers told the court that the dog had been with him for about 14 years and that he was deeply attached to the pet. He wished to go home to carry out its last rites. The request was framed on humanitarian grounds, citing the emotional bond he shared with the animal over more than a decade.After hearing the submission, Justice Desai passed an order stating: “The applicant is hereby directed to be taken to his house at Surat today (March 13) with police custody immediately upon receipt of this order till 8pm.” Recognizing the time-sensitive nature of the matter, the court sent the order through email to the Surat court, the police station, and Lajpore Central Jail so it could be acted upon without delay.The court also attached specific conditions to the release. It directed that the police personnel accompanying the man to his residence “shall be in civil clothes”. The expenditure incurred for the police escort was ordered to be borne by the state govt. The court also directed that the accused be brought back to the jail promptly after the completion of the last rites.
