Tejas Lalit Soni v. Govt. Of NCT Of Delhi & ANR.
$~3 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + BAIL APPLN. 425/2026 TEJAS LALIT SONI .....Petitioner Through:
Mr. Prasad Hegde and Mr. Saurabh Ghag, Advocates (through vc).
versus GOVT. OF NCT OF DELHI & ANR.
.....Respondents Through:
Mr. Hemant Mehla, APP for the State with SI Ramesh Chand, P.S. Kotwali.
Mr. Vikram Nandrajog, Mr. Sheetesh Khanna, Ms. Simran Chawla and Mr.
Kartik Wadhwa, Advocates for R-2.
CORAM:
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE AMIT SHARMA
O R D E R
% 03.06.2026 1.
This hearing has been done through hybrid mode. 2.
The present application under Section 482 of the BNSS has been filed seeking anticipatory bail in case FIR No. 694/2025, under Sections 406/420 of the IPC, registered at P.S. Kotwali.
3.
The case of the prosecution, as per status report dated 25.02.2026 authored by Insp. Suman Kumar, SHO/Kotwali, against the present applicant is as under: - "1. That the present status report is being filed in compliance of order dated 30.01.2026 passed by this Hon'ble Court directing filing of status report in the present anticipatory bail application.
2. That FIR No. 0694/2025 dated 24.07.2025 under Sections The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.
406/420 IPC was registered at PS Kotwali, North District, Delhi on the complaint of She Prem Prakash Sharma, Director of M/s Intimate Jewellers Pvt. Ltd., Chandni Chowk, Delhi.
3. That the complainant stated that he had longstanding business dealings with accused Tejas Lalit Soni, who is stated to be operating firms in Mumbai under the name and style of Hunar Gold and Hunar Jewels Ltd.
4. That during the course of business transactions, the complainant used to entrust 24 carat gold to the accused for preparation and manufacture of gold jewellery articles.
5. That as per the complaint, by May 2024, approximately 225 grams of gold entrusted for manufacturing purposes and an amount of Rs. 13,14,358/- were outstanding against the accused.
6. That it is alleged that in May 2024, the accused represented that gold was available at cheaper rates in Mumbai and induced the complainant to transfer funds for purchase of gold through him.
7. That relying upon such representation, the complainant transferred Rs. 1,45,00,000/- on 24.05.2024 and Rs. 4,24,700/- on 11.06.2024 into the bank account of the accused for purchase of gold.
8. That despite receipt of approximately Rs. 1.5 Crore, the accused allegedly neither supplied the corresponding gold nor provided purchase bills or documentary proof of purchase.
9. That it is further alleged that when the complainant required gold jewellery for participation in an exhibition at Pragati Maidan, Delhi, the accused supplied silver jewellery with gold polish instead of gold, jewellery.
10. That despite repeated demands, the accused allegedly failed to return the entrusted gold as well as the transferred amount.
11. That upon enquiry, prima facie commission of offences under Sections 406/420 IPC was found to be made out and the present FIR was registered accordingly.
The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.
12. That the financial transactions reflected in the FIR are under verification and relevant bank records have been examined.
13. That the alleged entrusted gold and transferred amount are yet to be recovered.
14. That the accused is presently lodged in judicial custody in Case FIR No. 83/25 Dated 08.01.25 Dis 316(2)/318(2)/318(4)/61(2) BNS PS PS Siliguri, West Bengal and is presently lodged at Siliguri Special Correctional Home.
15. That production warrants have already been issued for 08.03.2026 for securing his production in the present matter for the purpose of investigation.
16.That custodial interrogation "of the accused is necessary for clarification of the financial trail, reconciliation of accounts, verification of the alleged gold purchase, and recovery proceedings.
17. That the anticipatory bail application of the petitioner was earlier dismissed by the Ld. Sessions Court vide order dated 15.10.2025.
18. That at this stage, when production warrants have already been issued and investigation is ongoing, grant of anticipatory bail would interfere with the investigation process. Previous involvements of accused Tejas Lalit Soni
1. FIR No. 246 of 2024 Dated: 04.10.2024 Sections: U/s 316(2) and 318(4) BNS Police Station: Halasurgate P.S., Bengaluru.
2. FIR No. 1448 of 2025 Dated: 21.12.2024 U/s 409 and 420 IPC Police Station: Amboli P.S., Mumbai, Maharashtra.
3. FIR No. 53 of 2025 Dated: 19.01.2025 U/s 3(5),316(5) and 318(4) BNS LT Marg P.S., Mumbai, Maharashtra.
4. FIR No. 82/25 Dated: 08.02.2025 U/s 316(2), 316(5), 318(2), The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.
318(4) and 61(2) BNS Police Station: Siliguri. West Bengal.
5. FIR No. 141 of 2025 Dated: 29.03.2025 U/s 420, 406 and 409 IPC Police Station: Charkop P.S., Mumbai, Maharashtra.
6. FIR No. 167 of 2025 Dated: 23.04.2025 U/s 316(5) BNS Police Station: Charkop P.S., Mumbai, Maharashtra.
7. FIR No. 11191001250238 of 2025 Dated: 20.08.2025 U/s 316(2) and 318(4) BNS Police Station: Anand Nagar P.S., Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
8. FIR No. 398 of 2025 Dated: 25.08.2025 U/s 316(2), 316(5) and 318(4) BNS Police Station: Charkop P.S., Mumbai, Maharashtra.
19. That in view of the seriousness of allegations, magnitude of the financial transaction involved, pendency of recovery, and requirement of custodial interrogation, the present anticipatory bail application deserves to be dismissed. However, the undersigned is ready to abide by any direction passed by this Hon'ble Court." 4.
Learned counsel for the applicant submits that the money transferred by the complainant was misappropriated by his partner and there is an inter se dispute between the applicant and his partner. It is further submitted that said partner was also part of the subject Sole Selling Distributor Agreement. It is further submitted that in a similar case against the present applicant, the Hon'ble High Court of Judicature at Bombay has given the anticipatory bail to the present applicant vide judgment dated 09.06.2025 in Anticipatory Bail Application No.160 of 2025.
5.
Per contra, learned APP for the State submits that in the present case, on the applicant's representation that gold was available at cheaper rates in Mumbai, the money to the tune of Rs.1,45,00,000/- on 24.05.2024 and Rs.4,24,700/- on 11.06.2024 was transferred in the personal account of the applicant herein by the complainant. Insofar as the silver jewellery with gold The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.
polish is concerned, it is submitted that the matter is still under investigation. 6.
The status report, as noted hereinabove, provides details of the various involvements of the present applicant. The investigation is at a crucial stage. In such circumstances, in the considered opinion of this Court, custodial interrogation of the present applicant with regard to trail of money which had come to his account as well as the jewellery, as noted hereinbefore, is required.
7.
In these circumstances, no case for anticipatory bail is made out. The present application is dismissed and disposed of. 8.
Needless to state that, nothing mentioned hereinabove, is an opinion on the merits of the case, and any observations made herein are only for the purpose of the present bail application.
9.
Pending application(s), if any, also stands disposed of accordingly. 10.
Order be uploaded on the website of this Court, forthwith. AMIT SHARMA, J (VACATION JUDGE) JUNE 3, 2026/bsr/ns The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.