Sukhdeo Ramlal Chavan v. The State Of Maharashtra Thr. Pso, Ps, Mangrulpir Dist. Washim.

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY

CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION ANTICIPATORY BAIL APPLICATION NO.356 OF 2026 Suhas Laxman Wakade ... Applicant V/s.

State Of Maharashtra ... Respondents ____________________________________ Mr. Viresh V. Purwant a/w Suraj V. Gadkari, for the Applicant. Ms. G. P. Mulekar, APP, for the Respondent-State. A.P.I. Dadasaheb Patil, Deccan Police Station, EOW, Pune City, present. ____________________________________

CORAM

: MADHAV J. JAMDAR, J.

DATED : 20 FEBRUARY 2026 P.C.:

1.

Heard Mr. Purwant, learned Counsel appearing for the Applicant and Ms. Mulekar, learned APP appearing for the Respondent-State of Maharashtra.

2.

By the present Anticipatory Bail Application filed under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 ("BNSS"), the Applicant is seeking pre-arrest bail in connection with CR No.78 of 2025 registered with the Deccan Police Station, Pune City, for the offences punishable under Sections 316(2), 316(5), 318(4), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 ("BNS").

3.

The prosecution case is set out in Paragraph Nos.2 and 3 of the Order dated 3rd February 2026 passed by the learned Additional Sessions Judge, Pune, in Criminal Bail Application No.8522 of 2025, which read as under:

"2.

Afore crime emerged from the report dated 23/04/2025 lodged by the informant Rahul Ramraje Maktedar alleging therein that he got acquainted with the coaccused Ajay Choudhary (A-1), who is engaged in realtor business and land development. It is alleged that A-1 introduced co-accused Pravinkumar Nahata (A-3) to the informant as a Chairman of Maharashtra State Market Committee Co-operative Federation and Director of State Agriculture Produce Market Committee. A-3 in turn introduced him a Government scheme called 'Magnet' (Maharashtra Agri Business Network Project) and explained the scheme of investment and lucrative returns. Accordingly, A-1 acted as a mediator and lured the informant and witnesses to invest in the scheme. On said representation, the informant and witnesses have invested the amount of Rs.1 crore, wherein A-1 received a handsome commission towards the said scheme.

3.

It is further alleged that the co-accused have undertaken development of project at village Dandegar and Godwali, Tal. Mahabaleshwar, Dist. Satara. The project was named as 'Harison Folly', wherein the co-accused have entered into the perpetual lease agreement and A-1 introduced the execution of the scheme under the banner of 'Gazania Shelters Pvt. Ltd.' It is alleged that A-1 introduced accused No.2 Raviraj Joshi (A-2) to the informant and witnesses, who claimed to be owner of the said properties and informed that he has executed perpetual lease agreement in favour of A-1. It is alleged that the co-accused lured the informant and witnesses to invest in the development project, wherein villas and other infrastructure are to be constructed and upon investment, they will receive huge returns. Accordingly, the informant and witnesses have transferred the amount of Rs.2.60 crores with the co-accused. During investigation, it came fore that said properties belonged to

Devsthan Inam Land Class III and it is unalienable. It is alleged that the applicant along with co-accused have entered into the conspiracy and shown a attractive scheme with the lucrative returns to investors in realtor and dupe investors near about to the tune of Rs.10 crores for their illegal enrichment."

4.

As per the prosecution case, the Applicant along with the CoAccused entered into a conspiracy and shown an attractive scheme with the lucrative returns to the investors in realtor and duped investors near about to the tune of Rs.10 Crores. As far as the Applicant is concerned, Rs.75,00,000/- has been received in his account. 5.

Mr. Purwant, learned Counsel for the Applicant, submits that the Applicant is 83 years old. The Applicant will deposit in the concerned MPID Court an amount of Rs.75,00,000/- within a period of four weeks from today. He submits that he has made the said statement on instructions and the Applicant is making the said statements voluntarily. The said statement is accepted as undertaking given to the Court. 6.

Ms. Mulekar, learned APP, for the State, submits that the offence is very serious and there are two antecedents of the years 2017 and 2020. Therefore, she submits that Anticipatory Bail Application be dismissed.

7.

Perusal of the record shows that the offences very serious. However, as the Applicant is senior citizen of 83 years, the Applicant is ready to cooperate with the investigation and he has made a voluntary statement that Rs.75,00,000/- which was deposited in his account, will be deposited in the concerned Court and therefore case is made out for grant of pre-arrest bail.

8.

As far as the contention that there are antecedents, Mr. Purwant, learned Counsel, submitted that insofar as the antecedent of the year 2020 is concerned, the Applicant has been acquitted and insofar as the antecedent of the year 2017 is concerned, the Applicant has been granted anticipatory bail.

9.

Accordingly, the Applicant is granted anticipatory bail by imposing conditions.

10.

Hence, following Order is passed:

O R D E R

(i) In the event of arrest of the Applicant - Suhas Laxman Wakade, in connection with CR No.78 of 2025 registered with the Deccan Police Station, Pune City, Pune he be released on bail on his furnishing PR Bond in the

sum of Rs.1,00,000/- with one or two solvent sureties in the like amount.

(ii) The Applicant shall attend the Deccan Police Station, Pune, City, Pune as and when called by the Police and shall co-operate with the investigation.

(iii) The Applicant shall furnish his cell phone number and residential address to the Investigating Officer and shall keep the same updated, in case of any change thereto. (iv) The Applicant shall not directly or indirectly make any inducement, threat, or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade such a person from disclosing the facts to the Court or to any Police personnel.

(v) The Applicant shall not leave India without prior permission of the Court.

(vi) The Applicant shall not tamper with the prosecution evidence and shall not contact or influence the Complainant, or any witness, in any manner.

(vii) The Applicant to comply with the statement made by him as recorded in paragraph no.5 hereinabove. 11.

The Anticipatory Bail Application is allowed and disposed of accordingly.

( MADHAV J. JAMDAR, J.)