Deepak Hemaji Walkoli v. State Of Maharashtra
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION ANTICIPATORY BAIL APPLICATION NO.2965 OF 2025 Deepak Hemaji Walkoli ...
Applicant Vs.
State of Maharashtra ...
Respondent Dr. Uday Warunjikar a/w. Ms. Pooja Khandekar for Applicant. Mr. Mayur S. Sonavane, APP for Respondent-State. API Sagar Janraq, EOW, Pune City.
CORAM : MANISH PITALE, J.
DATE : DECEMBER 04, 2025 P.C. :
.
The applicant is seeking anticipatory bail in connection with FIR No.0260 of 2024 dated 14.09.2024 registered at Bundgarden Police Station, Pune, for offences under Sections 420, 406 and 409 read with 34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (IPC). Further offences have been added during the course of investigation and filing of charge-sheet. 2.
This is the second anticipatory bail application of the applicant before this Court. The earlier Anticipatory Bail Application No.3131 of 2024 was withdrawn on 26.11.2024. It is to be noted that by the said order, Anticipatory Bail Application No.3133 of 2024 of the wife of the applicant was also withdrawn. Subsequently, by a recent order dated 27.11.2025 passed in Anticipatory Bail Application No.2357 of 2025, wife of the applicant was granted anticipatory bail. 3.
Dr. Warunjikar, learned counsel for the applicant submits that after the order dated 26.11.2024 was passed, anticipatory bail applications of similarly situated accused persons were allowed by this MINAL SANDIP PARAB by MINAL SANDIP PARAB Date: 2025.12.04 17:30:21 +0530 Court (Coram: Madhav J. Jamdar, J.) by an order dated 23.09.2025. It 1/5
was specifically noted that although certain amounts found their way to the bank accounts of the said co-accused persons also, since the amounts had been deposited in the Court, a case for granting anticipatory bail was made out so long as the accused were ready to co-operate with the investigation.
4.
The allegation, in the present case, is that the applicant along with the main accused one Sachin Sasar had conspired to misappropriate funds of Sassoon Hospital at Pune. The applicant was working as a Senior Clerk and it is alleged that he along with the co-accused persons acted in a manner that resulted in loss of amount of Rs.4,18,62,942/-. 5.
The learned counsel for the applicant invited attention of this Court to the bank account details of the applicant, which show that on various dates between September 2023 and January 2024, certain amounts were transferred from the bank account of the main accused Sachin Sasar into the bank account of the applicant. But, such amounts were immediately transferred back to the account of the main accused person. On this basis, it was submitted that there was no actual financial gain to the applicant in the process.
6.
It was further brought to the notice of this Court that after departmental enquiry was initiated and before the FIR dated 14.09.2024 was registered, on 20.08.2024 itself, the wife of the applicant deposited a cheque for an amount of Rs.31,62,584/- with the Administrative Officer of Sassoon Hospital at Pune. It was submitted that the aforesaid amount pertained to the total amount that allegedly found its way into the bank account of the applicant and his wife, who works as a Nurse in the said hospital. It was submitted that since the entire amount, allegedly attributed to the applicant and his wife, was accounted for, this Court may consider showing indulgence to the applicant. It was emphasized that similarly situated co-accused persons, including wife of the 2/5
applicant, have been granted anticipatory bail and since the applicant is ready to remain present before the investigating officer, the application may be allowed.
7.
The learned APP took instructions in Court and submitted that the bank account details, upon which the applicant has placed reliance before this Court, are correct and it appears that certain amounts were transferred from the bank account of the main accused Sachin Sasar to the bank account of the applicant and were transferred back into the account of the main accused person. The fact that amount of Rs.31,62,584/- was deposited with Sassoon Hospital before the FIR was registered was also not denied.
8.
It was submitted by the learned APP that merely because the amounts were returned, upon the activities of the accused persons being noticed, cannot be a ground for granting anticipatory bail. It was also submitted that the refund of the amount shows an admission on the part of the applicant about involvement in the crime. On this basis, the application was opposed.
9.
Before adverting to the rival submissions, it is to be noted that in the present case, three co-accused persons, including wife of the applicant, who appear to be similarly situated, have been granted anticipatory bail by this Court. The investigation has revealed transfer of amounts in the bank account of the applicant. But, the details show that the main accused Sachin Sasar transferred amounts periodically into the bank account of the applicant and that, almost immediately, such amounts were again transferred back into the account of the main accused person. It appears that although the amounts found their way to the bank account of the applicant, before being utilized, the same were transferred back to the bank account of the main accused person. Apart from this, an amount of Rs.31,62,584/- was transferred by the wife of 3/5
the applicant into the bank account of Sassoon Hospital at Pune. This amount is equivalent to the alleged amount attributable to the applicant and his wife together. In other words, the misappropriated amount attributable to the applicant and his wife appears to have been secured before the FIR was registered.
10.
In similar circumstances, concerning two co-accused persons - Santosh Jogdand and Sandip Kharat, this Court (Coram: Madhav J. Jamdar, J.), by an order dated 23.09.2025, found it fit to grant anticipatory bail to such co-accused persons. Recently, this Court by an order dated 27.11.2025 granted anticipatory bail to the wife of the applicant i.e. Suman Deepak Walkoli. It is also to be noted that the main accused person - Sachin Sasar along with some other accused persons were granted regular bail.
11.
In such circumstances, this Court finds that so long as the applicant is ready to co-operate with the investigation, conditional anticipatory bail can be granted.
12.
In view of the above, the application is allowed in the following terms:- A.
In the event, the applicant is arrested in connection with FIR No.0260 of 2024 dated 14.09.2024 registered at Bundgarden Police Station, Pune, he shall be released on bail on furnishing P.R.Bond of Rs.50,000/- with one or two sureties in the like amount;
B.
The applicant shall remain present in the office of the Economic Offence Wing, Pune on 08.12.2025 and 09.12.2025 between 10:00 a.m. and 12 noon and thereafter, as and when called by the concerned officer. He shall cooperate with the investigation; 4/5
C.
The applicant shall not influence the informant, witness or any person concerned with the case and he shall not tamper with the evidence.
13.
In the event, the applicant violates any of the aforesaid conditions, the order passed today would be recalled.
14.
The application is disposed of.
(MANISH PITALE, J.) Minal Parab 5/5