Ranjit Prakash Kamble v. State Of Maharashtra And ANR

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CIRCUIT BENCH AT KOLHAPUR CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION ANTICIPATORY BAIL APPLICATION NO. 148 OF 2026 Ranjit Prakash Kamble ... Applicant

Versus

State of Maharashtra & anr ... Respondents *** Mr. Kunal Vidyadhar Patil i/by Adv. Rajnandini P. Katkar and Adv. Asif Savar Mulla for the Applicant.

Mr. P. P. Deokar, A. P. P. for the Respondent-State. ***

CORAM

: M.W. CHANDWANI, J.

DATE : 15th April, 2026.

P. C. :

1.

Heard the learned counsel appearing on behalf of the Applicant and the learned APP for the Respondent-State. I have perused the case diary. 2.

The Applicant is seeking anticipatory bail in connection with Crime No. 3 of 2026, registered by the State Excise Department, Shahuwadi Division, Kolhapur, for offences punishable under Sections 65(a), (b), (d), (e), (f), 81, 83, 90, and 103 of the Maharashtra Prohibition Act, 1949, and Section 123 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

3.

It appears that on receiving secret information, the State Excise Officer intercepted a two-wheeler driven by Accused No. 1 and seized liquor from his possession. Upon examination, the said liquor was found to be counterfeit.

Accordingly, the aforesaid offences came to be registered against the Applicant on the basis of a complaint lodged by the State Excise Officer with the concerned police station. During interrogation, the involvement of the present Applicant was revealed. The allegation against the Applicant is that he supplied raw materials used in the manufacture of adulterated and counterfeit foreign liquor by the co-accused. 4.

It appears that a substantial part of the investigation is complete, since the entire stock of liquor has already been seized and nothing is required to recovered from the present Applicant. Therefore, the custodial interrogation of the Applicant was not required.

5.

As regards the contention of the learned APP that the Applicant has breached the conditions imposed by the learned Sessions Court in an earlier bail application, it is submitted that the concerned police station has already moved an application for cancellation of the said bail. If the Sessions Court concludes that there has been a breach of its order, it shall pass appropriate orders in accordance with law.

6.

In view of the above, and considering the stage of investigation, a case is made out for grant of anticipatory bail. Hence, the following order is passed:

ORDER

a) Anticipatory Bail Application is allowed.

b) In the event of arrest in connection with Crime No. 3 of 2026, registered by the State Excise Department, Shahuwadi Division, Kolhapur, for the aforesaid offences, the Applicant-Ranjit Prakash Kamble be released on bail upon furnishing a P.R. bond of Rs. 50,000/- with one solvent surety in the like amount. c) The Applicant shall attend the concerned police station every Friday and Tuesday between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon for a period of two weeks.

d) The Applicant shall not tamper with the prosecution evidence or threaten prosecution witnesses and shall cooperate in the investigation.

[ M.W. CHANDWANI, J. ] Digitally signed by TALLE SHUBHAM ASHOKRAO Date:

2026.04.15 20:11:04 +0530 TALLE SHUBHAM ASHOKRAO