IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION ANTICIPATORY BAIL APPLICATION NO.508 OF 2025 AMOL DILIPRAO NAWALE Manojkumar Chhajer ...Applicant V/s.

Digitally signed State of Maharashtra ...Respondents by AMOL DILIPRAO NAWALE Date: ____________________________________

2025.05.03

17:42:17 +0530 Mr. Shadab Khopekar, Advocate for the applicant.

Mr. Anand S. Shalgaonkar, APP for the State.

Mr. Navin V. Dhongadi a/w. Mr. Akash Kotech, Advocate for respondent No.2.

N. V. Mahadik, PSI APMC Police Station present.

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CORAM : RAJESH S. PATIL, J.

DATED : 29 APRIL 2025 P.C.:

1. This applicant prayed for anticipatory bail in connection with crime no.132/2024 registered in APMC Police Station for the offence punishable under section 420, 34 of Indian Penal Core. The applicant has apprehension of his arrest and therefore he filed this application.

2. The complainant in this case, State Bank of India, submits that a facility known as the “S B International Collect Facility” was availed by accused no.1–Amit Lala. He being a trader, used this facility to export goods outside India, and under this arrangement, payments from foreign parties were to be received directly into his account through the said facility provided by the State Bank of India. Accordingly, a transaction took place wherein "Visa", acting on behalf of the foreign party, credited an amount of ₹1,52,13,051.56 to the account of accused no.1–Amit Lala.

3. Subsequently, it was discovered that no goods had actually been exported by accused no.1–Amit Lala. Upon realizing this, the foreign party lodged a complaint with "Visa", who in turn contacted the State Bank of India and reported that a fraud had been committed. "Visa" then informed the bank that the said amount of ₹1,52,13,051.56 would be debited from the account of the State Bank of India. Accordingly, the amount was deducted from the bank’s account.

4. Thereafter, the State Bank of India lodged the present FIR. It has been mentioned in the complaint that accused no.1–Amit Lala received ₹1,52,13,051.56, and on the very next day, an amount of ₹15,00,000 was transferred to the account of the present applicant. Additionally, from the account of accused no.1–Amit Lala, several amounts were transferred to the accounts of foreign parties who are also named as accused in the FIR. These parties, in turn, transferred amounts to the account of the present applicant as well as to the account of absconding accused no.5–Rehan.

5. The total amount transferred to the present applicant’s account is ₹67,00,000, while ₹45,00,000 was transferred to the account of Rehan.

It is believed that Rehan, the absconding accused no.5, is currently in Vietnam, while the present applicant is presently residing in Dubai.

6. It is the case of the present applicant that he was dealing in cryptocurrency on the instructions of accused no.1–Amit Lala. The amount of ₹1,52,13,051.56 received by him was utilized for purchasing cryptocurrency through Binance Finance. After the purchase, the equivalent value in cryptocurrency was reflected in the account of accused no.1. It is further submitted that the amounts received from the other co-accused into the account of the present applicant were also used to purchase cryptocurrency, and the corresponding balances were reflected in the individual cryptocurrency accounts of the respective accused persons. Therefore, it is contended that the present applicant is not involved in the commission of any offence.

7. The fact remains that a sum of ₹1,52,13,051.56 has been debited from the account of the State Bank of India. Accused no.1–Amit Lala, who has been released on regular bail, had represented himself as a trader engaged in the export of goods to foreign parties. On that basis, he expressed his intention to open a State Bank of India International Account.

8. In his statement, accused no.1–Amit Lala has named the present applicant as the mastermind behind the alleged offence, cl