Prabhu Narayan Uradwad v. The State Of Maharashtra

2025:BHC-AUG:32572 1 908.ABA-1872-2025.doc

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY

BENCH AT AURANGABAD ANTICIPATORY BAIL APPLICATION NO. 1872 OF 2025 PRABHU NARAYAN URADWAD

VERSUS

THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA ...

Advocate for Applicant : Mr. Deepak Kashiram Rajput Addl.PP for Respondent/State : Mr. A.S. Shinde ...

CORAM : MEHROZ K. PATHAN, J.

DATE : 25th NOVEMBER 2025 PER COURT :

1.

The Applicant has approached this Court, seeking anticipatory bail in connection with Crime No.336/2025 registered with Shivajinagar Police Station, Nanded for the offences punishable under Sections 318(4), 336(2), 336(3), 340(2) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

2.

The case of the prosecution is that Crime No.336/2025 came to be registered at Police Station, Shivaji Nagar, for offences punishable under Sections 318(4), 336(2), 336(3), and 340(2) of the BNS, on the report of Assistant Labour Officer Yasmin Abdul Gani Shaikh. It is alleged therein that the complainant's office was running various schemes for the welfare of workers and their family members who had worked for at least 90 days in a year, and that accordingly the registered workers could seek the benefit of such schemes. It is

2 908.ABA-1872-2025.doc further contended in the report that during the year 2024-2025, scrutiny of the scholarship forms of the children of labourers revealed that the bonafide certificates and a certificate issued by the B.D.O. were found to be bogus. Accordingly, the Applicant is alleged to have cheated the Government to the extent of Rs.94,047/-. On that basis, a crime came to be registered for the offences stated above. 3.

The learned Counsel for the Applicant submits that the Applicant has received the amount of scholarship only for the year 2022-2023, whereas the scholarship for the year 2024-2025 was applied by the Applicant. The documents which were required to be submitted were bonafide certificate and one certificate showing that the Applicant/father was working as a labour. These documents were to be submitted to obtain the scholarship for the year 2024-2025. It is the submission of the Counsel for the Applicant that the alleged forged documents were meant for obtaining a scholarship for the year 2024-2025; however, the scholarship for the said year has not been disbursed into the account of the present Applicant. He therefore submits that the Applicant is having no criminal antecedents and has earlier obtained scholarship by filing the genuine documents and therefore he is ready to abide by any conditions that may be imposed by this Court. The custodial interrogation of the Applicant may not be necessary. He may therefore be released on anticipatory bail.

4.

The learned APP vehemently opposes the present

3 908.ABA-1872-2025.doc application on the ground that a huge scam has been unearthed, wherein the Applicants, who are not eligible to obtain a scholarship, has cheated the Government and attempted to obtain the scholarship under a scheme. Insofar as the case of the Applicant is concerned, he has submitted the forged documents of his son Karan Uradwad and daughter Sneha Uradwad showing that they were the students of Ayurvedic/Medical Colleges. He particularly relies upon a bonafide certificate issued by Bhagwan Mahavir Jain Ayurvedic College, Karnataka in the name of Sneha Uradwad and also the bonafide certificate issued by Neelganga Ayurvedic Medical College and Hospital, Karnataka in the name of his Karan Uradwad.

He therefore submits that even though the Applicant may not have received any scholarship for the year 2024-2025, an attempt has already been made by the Applicant by submitting bogus bonafide certificates on the web portal for disbursement of the scholarship. He therefore submits that the scam is being investigated. Therefore the custodial interrogation of the Applicant would be necessary and the application for anticipatory bail may be rejected. 5.

I have gone through the investigation papers made available by the learned APP for perusal of this Court. The certificates submitted by the Applicant for the year 2022-2023, wherein he has obtained scholarship for an amount of Rs.94,047/- is appears to be genuine. However the documents submitted by the Applicant to obtain the scholarship for the year 2024-2025 particularly the bonafide certificates issued by Neelganga Ayurvedic Medical College

4 908.ABA-1872-2025.doc and Bhagwan Mahavir Jain Ayurvedic College are the fake certificates as the Principals of the aforesaid Colleges have already submitted their communications showing the same to be fake. These are prima facie observations made by this Court for deciding the application and the same may not affect any proceedings before any other Court. Though the said certificates appears to be fake as per the communications issued by the respective Colleges, however the Applicant-father has not received any amount of scholarship from the said scheme for the year 2024-2025.

.

I have gone through the order passed by this Court in ABA No.1850/2025 dated 17.10.2025 in case of another parent namely Gangabai Digamber Kasare, wherein this Court was pleased to protect the Applicant on condition of cooperating with the investigation. I am therefore inclined to protect the present Applicant on stringent conditions of attending the Investigating Officer and joining the investigation for completing the investigation. Hence the following order :

ORDER

(i) In the event of arrest of the Applicant - Prabhu Narayan Uradwad in connection with Crime No.336/2025 registered with Shivajinagar Police Station, Nanded for the offences punishable under Sections 318(4), 336(2), 336(3), 340(2) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, he be released on bail on furnishing P.R. bond of Rs.50,000/- (Rupees Fifty Thousand) with two solvent sureties in the like amount, on the following conditions :

5 908.ABA-1872-2025.doc (a) The Applicant is directed to attend the concerned police station on Saturday of every week between 12:00 pm. to 02:00 pm., until the filing of the charge-sheet as against the Applicant and as and when called by the Investigating Officer for completing investigation insofar as the other accused persons are concerned. (b) The Applicant shall not tamper with the prosecution evidence and shall not influence the witnesses.

(c) The Applicant shall attend the trial regularly except in emergency, he can seek exemption from the trial Court. (ii) The application is allowed in the above terms and stands disposed of.

MEHROZ K. PATHAN JUDGE NAJEEB..