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2024 Supreme(Guj) 572

IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD
Nirzar S. Desai, J.
Dharmeshbhai Manilal Patel @ Dharmatma Patel – Applicant
Versus
State Of Gujarat – Respondent
R/Criminal Misc. Application (For Successive Regular Bail - After Charge-Sheet) No.942 of 2024
Decided On : 26-04-2024

Advocates:
Advocate Appeared:
For the Applicant : Mr I.H. Syed, Senior Counsel Assisted By Mr Vishrut Bhandari
For the Complainant : Mr J. M. Panchal, Senior Counsel Assisted By Mr Ekant G Ahuja
For the Respondent: Ms Shruti Pathak, AGP

The court emphasized that fresh circumstances, including the complainant's retraction of allegations, can justify granting bail even after previous applications were denied.

Headnote:(A) Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 - Section 439 - Indian Penal Code - Sections 120 B, 323, 294 (b), 384, 386, 506 (2), 507 - Gujarat Money Lenders Act - Sections 5, 40, 42 (a), 42 (b), 42 (2) - Bail application - Applicant sought bail after being arrested for serious allegations including financial fraud and threats - Original complainant retracted allegations during deposition, raising doubts about credibility - Court considered subsequent developments and the applicant's conduct in granting bail. (Paras 1-19)

(B) Bail - Change of circumstances - Court can consider fresh circumstances even if earlier bail applications were rejected - The applicant's withdrawal of a Supreme Court petition and the complainant's retraction were significant developments. (Paras 11-12)

(C) Credibility of complainant - The complainant's history of filing false complaints and retraction of statements were critical in assessing the application for bail. (Paras 12-13)

(D) Conditions for bail - The applicant was granted bail with specific conditions to ensure compliance and prevent misuse. (Paras 17-18)

ORDER :

1. Rule. Ms. Shruti Pathak, learned Assistant Government Pleader waives service of rule on behalf of respondent - State and learned advocate Mr. Ekant Ahuja waives service of rule on behalf of original complainant. With the consent of parties, the application is taken up for final hearing today itself.

2. By way of this successive application filed under Section 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, the applicant is seeking to release him on regular bail in connection with the FIR being C. R. No. 11191065230414 of 2023 registered with Narol Police Station, District Ahmedabad for the offences punishable under Sections 120 B, 323, 294 (b), 384, 386, 506 (2) and 507 of the Indian Penal Code, sections, 5, 40, 42 (a), 42 (b) and 42 (2) of the Gujarat Money Lenders Act.

3. As per the FIR registered by one Kamalkumar Deshraj Dogra, it is stated that he is having various business stated in the FIR and he is staying with his family. In March 2020, due to Corona, there was a recession in business and therefore, the first informant was facing financial crisis and therefore, he contacted one Falgun Bipinbhai Mehta and requested him to lend some money, in turn Falgun Bipinbhai Mehta agreed to lend her an amount of Rs.8,00,000,00/- as requested by first informant by charging interest @ 9% interest per month. Thereafter, as the amount was big, the said Falgun Mehta introduced the first informant to his friends including the present applicant and in two Bank accounts of the Kaaml Translink of Kotak Mahindra Bank a sum of Rs.7,71,67,151/- was deposited. Out of which towards repayment of the aforesaid amount, a sum of Rs.30,00,000/- were deposited in account of the present applicant. Against the aforesaid amount, a total sum of Rs.11,15,90,022/- was deposited in the Bank account of seven persons, despite that it is alleged that the present applicant forcibly took away the Lamborghini car owned by the son of the first informant worth Rs.7 Crores and got transferred in his name. One another car being Fortuner as well as one Mercedes E- Class also was taken away forcibly from the first informant by the co-accused persons. Thereafter, on 14.02.2023 there was a GST raid on the company of the first informant and the Bank accounts of the first informant were freezed and therefore, the present applicant and alongwith Falgun Mehta and son of the present applicant - Prem Patel threatened the first informant and forced them to open their accounts in another bank and transferred an amount of Rs.2,57,00,000/- from that accounts to the various banks accounts of the present applicant and co-accused’s account. As the first informant had already paid much more amount than the actual amount borrowed by him, despite that the present applicant and other co-accused used to threaten him telephonically and personally and on 04.04.2023 he was beaten also by the present applicant and other co-accused persons. Thereafter, the first informant was threatened to transfer the properties in favour of the present applicant and other co-accused persons and therefore, as against Rs.7,71,67,151/- though more than Rs.14,48,59,022/- were repaid to him, despite that for transfer of the properties of the first informant, the present applicant and co-accused continuously used to threaten him and the FIR is registered.

4. Upon registration of the FIR, the applicant came to be arrested on 25.5.2023. After filing of charge-sheet, the applicant preferred Criminal Misc. Application No.14328 of 2023 seeking regular bail which came to be rejected by this Court by a reasoned order dated 6.10.2023.

5. Against the said order, the applicant preferred Special Leave to Appeal (Criminal) No.13654 of 2023 before the Hon'ble Supreme Court and the said application came to be withdrawn on the note filed by learned advocate for the applicant on 14.12.2023. The order passed by the Hon'ble Supreme Court on 14.12.2023 reads as under :-

    "Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner prays for withd

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