Manojkumar Sukhadev Sawant v. State Of Maharashtra

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY

CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION ANTICIPATORY BAIL APPLICATION NO. 3297 OF 2025 Manojkumar S. Sawant ...Applicant V/s.

The State of Maharashtra & Anr.

...Respondents.

..............

Mr. Purshottam Chavan a/w. Mr. Rajesh Jadhav for the Applicant. Mr. Shahaji Shinde, B-Panel Counsel for the Respondent/State. Mr. Sunil Pandey a/w. Mr. Raju Mandal for the Respondent No.2. ..............

CORAM

:

N.R. BORKAR, J.

DATE :

04.12.2025.

P.C. :

1.

This is an application for anticipatory bail. 2.

The applicant is apprehending his arrest in Crime No. 317 of 2025 registered at Shahapur Police Station, Dist. Thane Rural for the offences punishable under Sections 420 and 406 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

3.

It is the case of the prosecution that the first informant and the applicant were known to each other. On 14th February 2023, they entered into a partnership to execute road construction projects. According to the first informant, they secured a work order from GR Infra Ltd., Haryana for road construction on the Sirsad to Maswan Wadar stretch of the Mumbai Express Highway, valued at approximately Rs.21.70 crores. It is alleged that the first informant transferred amount of Rs.1,24,26,610/- towards the 1/3

execution of the said project directly into the applicant's personal bank account. It is further alleged that the applicant received Rs.79,79,310/- from GR Infra Ltd in the company's account, but he neither shared the proceeds nor rendered any financial accounting to the complainant. The allegations against the present applicant are thus of defrauding the first informant to the tune of Rs.1,24,26,610/-.

4.

I have heard the learned counsel appearing for the applicant, the learned APP for the respondent / State and learned counsel for the respondent No.2/first informant.

5.

The construction work of road in question was awarded to the company of the present applicant. Learned counsel for the applicant has drawn my attention to the Partnership Deed dated 14th February 2023 between the present applicant and the first informant. The said partnership deed shows that it was the first informant who approached the present applicant expressing his willingness to invest money in the project of the applicant. 6.

Prima facie, it is difficult to infer from the FIR that since inception the intent of the applicant was to cheat the first informant. In that view of the matter, I am inclined to release the applicant on anticipatory bail. In the result the following order is passed.

ORDER

A) The Application is allowed.

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B) In the event of arrest of the applicant in C.R. No. 317 of 2025 registered at Shahapur Police Station, Dist. Thane Rural for the offences punishable under Sections 420 and 406 of the IPC, he be released on bail on executing P.R. Bond in the sum of Rs.25,000/- with one surety or two sureties in the like amount.

C) The applicant shall attend the concerned police station as and when called by the Investigating Officer and shall cooperate in the investigation.

[N.R.BORKAR, J.] 3/3