Bombay High Court
Rikundkumar Dineshbai Patel vs State Of Maharashtra on 19 December, 2025
2025:BHC-AS:56565 57-BA-4433-2025.DOC
Ajit Pathrikar
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
BAIL APPLICATION NO. 4433 OF 2025
Rikundkumar Dineshbai Patel ...Applicant
Versus
State Of Maharashtra ...Respondent
Mr. Karansingh Rajput a/w Nikhil Ghate, for the Applicant.
Ms. Anamika Malhotra, APP for the State-Respondent.
CORAM DR. NEELA GOKHALE, J.
DATED: 19th DECEMBER 2025
PC:-
1. The Applicant seeks his release on bail in connection
with FIR No. 201 of 2025 dated 15 th April 2025 registered
with Nerul Police Station, ANC Navi Mumbai for the offences
punishable under Sections 8(c), 20(b)(ii)(A)(B), 21(a), 23(a),
23(b), 27A and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic
Substances Act, 1985 (for short, "NDPS Act") and Sections
338, 336(3), 340(2) and 255 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita,
2023 (for short, "BNS").
Page 1 of 7
th
19 December 2025
::: Uploaded on - 22/12/2025 ::: Downloaded on - 26/12/2025 21:50:42 :::
57-BA-4433-2025.DOC
2. The facts of the case, in brief, are that the main accused,
namely Navin Chinchkar, used to supply contraband to
various people in India by way of postal services. Some
officials in the postal department and the customs department
were on board with the said Chinchkar. It is alleged by the
prosecution that this was a well-oiled drug racket, wherein
said Chinchkar was supplying ganja, hydro ganja, etc. from
Thailand and other places abroad to persons including the
Applicant and co-accused in India, who then dealt with the
same by selling it to users or dealers in India. The name of the
Applicant was disclosed by co-accused, Kamal Chandwani.
The present Applicant was working as an Angadia. Another
person called Kartik Jain, who was working with Ankit Patel,
also gave a statement to the police that while he was working
with the said Ankit Patel, he had seen Accused No. 4, Sujit
Bangera and Kamal Chandwani coming to the house of the co-
accused, Ankit Patel, carrying cash which needed to be
deposited with said Ankit Patel. It is the case of the
prosecution that the present Applicant is also one such
Page 2 of 7
th
19 December 2025
::: Uploaded on - 22/12/2025 ::: Downloaded on - 26/12/2025 21:50:42 :::
57-BA-4433-2025.DOC
Angadia who has allegedly facilitated cash transactions
through hawala. Hence, the Applicant was arrested on 28th
April 2025 pursuant to the FIR registered against the Accused
in the present matter.
3. The Applicant made an application seeking bail before
the Additional Sessions Judge, Belapur. However, by order
dated 4th September 2025, the said application was rejected.
Hence, the Applicant is before this Court for the relief as
prayed.
4. Mr. Karansingh Rajput, learned Counsel for the
Applicant, at the outset, brought to my attention an order
dated 8th December 2025, enlarging the co-accused, Ankit
Patel, on bail. He submits that the role attributed to the
present Applicant is identical to the role attributed to the co-
accused, Ankit Patel. He submits that there is no recovery
made from the Applicant and there is nothing on record to
indicate his complicity in the said offence. In fact, the only
statement of the employee pertains to Ankit Patel and not
Page 3 of 7
th
19 December 2025
::: Uploaded on - 22/12/2025 ::: Downloaded on - 26/12/2025 21:50:42 :::
57-BA-4433-2025.DOC
against the present Applicant. He also submits that there are
no antecedents against the present Applicant pertaining to
any offence under the NDPS Act. He is in custody since 28 th
April 2025 and no purpose will be served by his continued
incarceration. He thus prays that the Applicant be enlarged on
bail.
5. Ms. Anamika Malhotra, learned APP, submits that this is
a drug cartel network and although nothing was recovered
from the present Applicant, his role of facilitating cash
transaction from hawala is sufficient to incriminate him in the
said offence. She further submits that the Applicant is in
custody only from April 2025 and the maximum punishment
for the offence being 10 to 20 years. Hence, it cannot be said
that the long incarceration justifiable enough to enlarge the
Applicant on bail.
6. I have heard learned Counsel appearing for the
respective parties and perused the record with their
assistance.
Page 4 of 7
th
19 December 2025
::: Uploaded on - 22/12/2025 ::: Downloaded on - 26/12/2025 21:50:42 :::
57-BA-4433-2025.DOC
7. Admittedly, the role attributed to the present Applicant
is identical to the role attributed to the co-accused, Ankit
Patel, who is enlarged on bail. The present Applicant is an
Angadia operator and the role attributed to him is limited to
the transfer of cash by hawala. Even from the statement of the
co-accused, namely Kamal Chandwani, who was the main
accused responsible for supply of drugs to many others,
including the co-accused, there is nothing to establish the
present Applicant's complicity in the said drug operation. In
these circumstances, there is reasonable ground to believe
that the Applicant has not committed the said offence as
alleged and he is not likely to repeat the same while on bail.
8. In view of the aforesaid, I am inclined to enlarge the
Applicant on bail and it is ordered as under:
ORDER
i) The Applicant be enlarged on bail, on executing PR Bond in the sum of Rs. 1,00,000/- with one or two local sureties in the like amount;
Page 5 of 7
th 19 December 2025 ::: Uploaded on - 22/12/2025 ::: Downloaded on - 26/12/2025 21:50:42 ::: 57-BA-4433-2025.DOC
ii) The Applicant shall attend the Police Station concerned, on first Monday of every month between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., till the charges are framed. He shall also attend the Trial Court concerned on each and every date as directed, till the conclusion of the trial, save and except if the Applicant is exempted from appearance by orders of the Trial Court;
iii) If the Applicant has not deposited his passport, the Applicant shall deposit the same with the concerned Police Station, if any;
iv) The Applicant shall not leave India, without the permission of the Trial Court;
v) The Applicant shall not tamper or attempt to influence or contact the complainant, witnesses or any person concerned with the case;
vi) The Applicant shall inform his latest place of residence and mobile contact number immediately after being released Page 6 of 7 th 19 December 2025 ::: Uploaded on - 22/12/2025 ::: Downloaded on - 26/12/2025 21:50:42 ::: 57-BA-4433-2025.DOC and / or change of residence or mobile details, if any, from time to time to the Court seized of the matter and to the Investigating Officer of the concerned Police Station;
vii) The Applicant to co-operate with the conduct of the trial;
viii) Any infraction of the aforesaid conditions shall entail cancellation of bail.
9. The Bail Application is allowed in the aforesaid terms and is accordingly disposed of.
10. It is made clear that the observations made herein are prima facie and are confined to this Application and the Trial Judge to decide the case on its own merits, uninfluenced by the observations made herein.
(Dr. Neela Gokhale, J) Page 7 of 7 th 19 December 2025 ::: Uploaded on - 22/12/2025 ::: Downloaded on - 26/12/2025 21:50:42 :::