Manasi Santosh Rane v. The State Of Maharashtra And ORS

SMITA JOHNSON GONSALVES JOHNSON GONSALVES Date: 2025.08.05 02:18:24 +0530

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY

CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION Criminal Anticipatory Bail Application No. 1940 of 2025 Manasi Santosh Rane Aged: 45 years, Occupation:

Home-maker, R/o. A-503, Floor-5, A Wing, Brahma Siddhi CHS, Appasaheb Marathe Marg, Ravindra Natya Mandir, Prabhadevi, Mumbai, Maharashtra-400025 ... Applicant versus

1. The State of Maharashtra Through Commissioner of Police, Mumbai, Crawford Market, Mumbai - 400001

2. The Director General of Karnataka Police Karnataka State, Police Headquarters, No.2, Nrupathunga Road, Bangalore - 560001, Karnataka.

3. The Senior Police Inspector, Kavoor Police Station, Kavoor, Mangaluru City, Karnataka 575015 ... Respondents ---- Ms Shaista Hadi, a/w. Ms Aliza Shaikh and Ms Anjali Shriyan, i/b. Ms Shreya Tiwari, for the applicant.

Mr SV Walve, APP, for the respondent/State.

---- Coram: R.N. Laddha, J.

Date: 4 August 2025 P.C.:

.

In this application, the applicant has approached this Court projecting extreme urgency in the matter for the reason that she apprehended arrest in connection with C.R. No.94 of 2025, registered at Kavoor Police Station, Mangaluru, Karnataka, for the offences punishable under Sections 406 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code.

2.

The learned Counsel for the applicant submits that the applicant is seeking limited relief of protection until she can approach the competent Court of jurisdiction for seeking anticipatory bail in connection with the aforesaid crime registered against her.

3.

The learned APP has emphasized that since the FIR is registered at Kavoor Police Station, Mangaluru, Karnataka, really speaking, the respondent - State would not have much to say in the matter. He suggests that even if this Court is inclined to grant the relief, it may impose appropriate conditions to prevent misuse of the relief.

4.

It is a settled position in law that the limited relief of protection can be granted to the applicant, only to facilitate approaching the competent Court of jurisdiction. In this context, a profitable reference can be made to the decisions in (N. K. Nair and Ors. Vs. State of Maharashtra and Ors. 1985 Cr.L.J. 1887, Shantanu Shivlal Mulak and Ors. Vs. State of Maharashtra 2021 ALL MR Cri. 1380 and Shrikant Gopilal Rath and Ors. Vs. State of Maharashtra and Ors. Criminal Writ Petition No.581/2021).

5.

This Court is not going into the merits of the matter or entitlement of the applicant for grant of anticipatory bail in any manner. Since there is possibility of applicant's arrest in connection with the aforesaid crime, which cannot be said to be misplaced or imaginary, in the facts and circumstances of the case, it is appropriate to protect the applicant for a limited period to enable her to approach the competent Court. Hence, the following order:

ORDER

(i) The applicant is granted protection from coercive action or arrest only for a period of two weeks from today, provided the applicant, during this period, shall not leave the State of

Maharashtra, except to travel to the State of Karnataka, for moving such application before the competent Court of jurisdiction.

(ii) The applicant shall inform the concerned police station of State of Maharashtra about this order passed by the Court.

(iii) Needless to say that the applicant shall not act in any manner that would be prejudicial to the investigation that may be carried out by the concerned police station officer in respect of aforesaid FIR.

6.

The application stands disposed of accordingly. (R.N. Laddha, J.)