In a major development in the Vadodara car crash case, the Gujarat High Court on Monday, December 23, granted conditional bail to law student Rakshit Chaurasiya, the main accused in the tragic accident that claimed one life and injured seven others on March 13.

Justice N S Kariel approved the bail after considering Chaurasiya’s background and the arguments presented by his legal team. Chaurasiya had been in police custody since March 14, hours after the accident. His friend, Praanshu Chauhan, who was also in the car, had previously received bail from the local Vadodara court. The car involved belonged to Chauhan’s father.

During the hearing, Chaurasiya’s lawyer emphasized that he had no criminal record prior to the accident and had no intention of fleeing. The prosecution, however, described his behavior immediately following the crash as erratic and “remorseless,” with reports claiming he shouted phrases like “another round” and invoked a girl’s name, followed by chanting religious slogans. The court noted that Chaurasiya had also been booked under the NDPS Act along with his friends Chauhan and Suresh Bharwad.

Granting bail, the court highlighted that as a student, Chaurasiya deserved an opportunity for reform. He has been released on a surety of Rs 1 lakh and is required to report to the Vadodara police station every fortnight for the first six months and monthly thereafter. Additionally, he is prohibited from leaving Gujarat and must notify authorities of any change in residence.