Nirmal Cooperative Society Throught General Manager Sau. Nanda Dinesh Bante v. The State Of Mah. Thr. Its Secretary Dept. Of Home Mantralaya, Mumbai And Another.

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY

NAGPUR BENCH, NAGPUR Criminal Writ Petition No.811 of 2025 Ravindra Balaji Puttewar vs. The Central Registrar of Co-operative Societies, New Delhi with Criminal Writ Petition No.16 of 2024 Nirmal Cooperative Society, through General Manager, Nagpur vs. State of Maharashtra and others with Criminal Writ Petition No.1068 of 2019 Sau. Pranali w/o Ravindra Puttewar and another vs. Union of India, through its Secretary, Department of Home, New Delhi and others =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Office notes, Office Memoranda of Coram, appearances, Court's orders Court's or Judge's Orders or directions and Registrar's orders.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Mr. P.R. Agrawal, appointed as Amicus Curiae to assist the Court. WRIT PETITION NO. 811/2025 Mr. Z.Z. Haq, Advocate for the Petitioner.

Mr. S.S. Doifode, APP for Respondent Nos.2 & 5 - State. Mr. A.P. Chaware, Advocate for Respondent No.3. WRIT PETITION NO. 16/2024 Mr. A.P. Chaware, Advocate for the Petitioner. Mr. S.S. Doifode, APP for Respondent Nos.1 & 2-State. Mr. Z.Z. Haq, Advocate for Respondent No.4.

WRIT PETITION NO. 1068/2019 Mr. Z.Z. Haq, Advocate for the Petitioners.

Mr. S.S. Doifode, APP for Respondent Nos.4 to 7, 9 & 10-State. Mr. K.N. Shukul, D.S.G.I. for Respondent No.8. Mr. A.P. Chaware, Advocate for Respondent No.11.

CORAM

: ANIL L. PANSARE & NIVEDITA P. MEHTA, JJ.

DATE : 24 th MARCH, 2026.

Heard.

02.

The learned A.P.P. has tendered across the bar the status report of investigation in a sealed envelope. The same is opened in Court. 03.

The learned Amicus Curiae submits that the Registry has furnished copies of the petitions but has not furnished the status report of investigation as ordered by this Court. He further submits that, since the status report was in a sealed envelope, the Registry was hesitant to provide a copy of the same to him.

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We do not find such reason to be satisfactory. The Registry was directed to furnish the status report of investigation to the learned Amicus. The Registry ought to have furnished the same. In case of any difficulty, it was open to the Registry to seek further orders from this Court. Be that as it may, the Registry shall furnish the status report of investigation to the learned Amicus by tomorrow, i.e. 25th March, 2026. 05.

The learned Amicus submits that he has, however, gone through the status report of investigation as shown by the Investigating Agency. According to him, prima facie, there appears evidence of siphoning and misappropriation of the funds of the Society. One of the modes adopted by the then Secretary, who has established a partnership firm in the name and style of "PNG Corporation" and is now a Director of the Society, is to sanction loans to the staff and transfer the said amounts to PNG Corporation. Initially, Mr. Pramod Manmode and Mr. Gaurav Manmode were partners of the said firm. In the year 2020, Mr. Pramod Manmode retired from the partnership and his wife Mrs. Nirmala Manmode was inducted as a partner. At present, Mrs. Nirmala Manmode and Mr. Gaurav Manmode are the partners in the firm.

It is further revealed that the Society granted loans to the staff of PNG Corporation and the amounts so disbursed were ultimately transferred to PNG Corporation. The loans were sanctioned to the staff of PNG Corporation under the head "self-employment loan". The loan amount disbursed was Rs.5.00 lakh to each individual, though the permissible limit for such loans is Rs.2.00 lakh. The said amounts were subsequently transferred to PNG Corporation. The loans were disbursed during the period from 2020 to 2025. The loan amounts were not repaid, however, certain amounts are now shown to have been repaid, which appears to be a step taken after the SIT took over the investigation. 06.

The learned Amicus further submits that the then Secretary, Mr. Pramod Manmode had obtained a personal loan to the tune of Rs.3.75 crore. The outstanding amount, as on date, is about Rs.10.00 crore. The Society has not taken any steps to recover the said amount. According to the

3/3 learned Amicus, the reason is simple, the Society is being run by Mr. Pramod Manmode. There are several other such loan transactions. The investigation is in progress.

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Thus, it appears that investigation done so far indicates involvement of some of the office bearers of the Society. We, however, find that, till date, the SIT has not examined the role of the Central Registrar or the police officials. The learned A.P.P. submits that necessary investigation in that regard shall be carried out before the next date and appropriate steps shall be taken.

08.

The status report filed today shall be kept in a sealed envelope with the record. Copy of the present status report of investigation shall also be supplied to the learned Amicus.

09.

List the matter for further consideration on 6th April, 2026. (Nivedita P. Mehta, J.) (Anil L. Pansare, J.) *sandesh Signed by: Mr. Sandesh Waghmare Designation: PS To Honourable Judge Date: 25/03/2026 17:08:44