Gujarat High Court
Chiragbhai Jagdishchandra Choksi vs State Of Gujarat on 5 May, 2025
NEUTRAL CITATION
R/CR.MA/5212/2025 ORDER DATED: 05/05/2025
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IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD
R/CRIMINAL MISC.APPLICATION (FOR REGULAR BAIL - AFTER
CHARGESHEET) NO. 5212 of 2025
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CHIRAGBHAI JAGDISHCHANDRA CHOKSI
Versus
STATE OF GUJARAT
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Appearance:
MR KEVAL G BRAHMBHATT (BAROT)(9900) for the Applicant(s) No. 1
MR RAXIT J DHOLAKIA(3709) for the Respondent(s) No. 1
MR BHARGAV PANDYA, APP for the Respondent No.1
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CORAM:HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE M. R. MENGDEY
Date : 05/05/2025
ORAL ORDER
1. Rule. Learned APP waives service of Rule on behalf of the Respondent State.
2. The Applicant has filed this Application under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) for enlarging the Applicant on Regular Bail in connection with FIR being C.R. No. 11204060240191 of 2024 registered with Thasra Police Station. Kheda.
3. Heard learned Advocate for the Applicant and learned APP for the Respondent - State.
4. Learned Advocate for the Applicant has submitted that the Applicant has good reputation in the society and no useful purpose would be served by keeping the applicant in jail for indefinite period. It is further contended that the applicant is ready and willing to abide by all the conditions that may be imposed by this Court if released on bail.
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5. Per contra, learned APP has vehemently opposed the present application for grant of regular bail contending that the present applicant had knowing fully well that the ornaments which were submitted by the other co-accused for the purpose of obtaining gold loan were fake, the applicant had reported in his report that those ornaments consisted of original gold and on the basis of the endorsement made by the present applicant, the amount of loan had been sanctioned in favour of the other co-accused. Thus there is an active participation on part of the present applicant in commission of the offence in question. Learned APP therefore submitted that looking to the nature and gravity of offence, this Court may not exercise the discretion in favour of the applicant and the application may be dismissed.
5.1 Learned Advocate appearing for the original complainant has also opposed the present application contending that the endorsement made by the applicant as a Valuer, the loan in question would not have been sanctioned in favour of the other co-accused. The present applicant had played a pivotal role in commission of the offence in question. The present applicant had absconded for a period of six months after the registration of the offence and therefore if enlarged on bail, in all probability, the applicant would not be available for the purpose of trial. He therefore submitted to dismiss the present application.
6. Heard learned advocates for the respective parties and perused the record. From the record it appears that the investigation is over and charge- sheet has been filed. As per the case of the prosecution,the other co-accused had submitted applications before the complainant Credit Co-operative Society for obtaining gold loan and had also hypothecated their ornaments with the Society in question. The present applicant was working as a Valuer with the said Society and had examined the ornament which was submitted by the other co-accused for the purpose of loan, and though those ornaments consisted of Page 2 of 5 Uploaded by MANSHI HARISHBHAI AMIN(HC01561) on Mon May 05 2025 Downloaded on : Tue May 06 04:46:23 IST 2025 NEUTRAL CITATION R/CR.MA/5212/2025 ORDER DATED: 05/05/2025 undefined fake gold, the present applicant had issued a certificate that the ornaments were in proper form and on the basis of the endorsement made by the present applicant, the loan were sanctioned to the other co-accused. It is also alleged that the amount of loan had been duly received by the present applicant from the other co-accused. Having regard to the nature of the offence and the allegations levelled against the present applicant, the application deserves consideration.
7. This court has considered the following aspects:
(a) As per catena of decisions of Hon'ble Supreme Court, there are mainly 3 factors which are required to be considered by this court i.e. prima facie case, availability of Applicant accused at the time of trial and tampering and hampering with the witnesses by the accused.
(b) That the learned Advocate for the Applicant has submitted that the Applicant Accused is not likely to flee away.
(c) That the Applicant is in custody since 20.10.2024.
(d) The law laid down by the Hon'ble Apex Court in the case of Sanjay Chandra v. C.B.I. Reported in (2012) 1 SCC 40.
8. Having heard the learned Advocates for the parties and perusing the record produced in this case as well as taking into consideration the facts of the case, nature of allegations, gravity of accusation, availability of the Applicant Accused at the time of Trial etc. and the role attributed to the present Applicant accused, the present Application deserves to be allowed and accordingly stands allowed. This Court has also gone through the FIR and police papers and also the earlier order passed by the learned Sessions Court where the learned Sessions Judge has disallowed the bail Application at initial stage. The Applicant Accused is ordered to be released on bail in connection with the aforesaid FIR on executing a personal bond of Rs.10,000/- with one surety of the like amount to the satisfaction of the trial Court, subject to the following Page 3 of 5 Uploaded by MANSHI HARISHBHAI AMIN(HC01561) on Mon May 05 2025 Downloaded on : Tue May 06 04:46:23 IST 2025 NEUTRAL CITATION R/CR.MA/5212/2025 ORDER DATED: 05/05/2025 undefined conditions that the applicant shall:
(a) not directly or indirectly make any inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the fact of the case so as to dissuade him from disclosing such facts to the Court or any Police Officer or tamper with the evidence.
(b) maintain law and order and not to indulge in any criminal activities.
(c) furnish the documentary proof of complete, correct and present address of residence to the Investigating Officer and to the Trial Court at the time of executing the bond and shall not change the residence without prior permission of the trial Court.
(d) provide contact numbers as well as the contact numbers of the sureties before the Trial Court. In case of change in such numbers inform in writing immediately to the trial Court.
(e) file an affidavit stating his immovable properties whether self acquired or ancestral with description, location and present value of such properties before the Trial Court, if any.
(f) mark presence before the concerned Police Station once in a month for a period of six months between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m..
(g) not leave India without prior permission of the Trial Court.
(h) surrender passport, if any, to the Trial Court within a week. If the Applicant does not possess passport, shall file an Affidavit to that effect.
9. Bail bond to be executed before the Trial Court having jurisdiction to try the case. It would be open for the Trial Court concerned to give time to furnish the solvency certificate if prayed for.
10. If breach of any of the above conditions is committed, the Trial Court concerned will be free to issue warrant or take appropriate action according to law. The Authorities will release the Applicant forthwith only if the Applicant Page 4 of 5 Uploaded by MANSHI HARISHBHAI AMIN(HC01561) on Mon May 05 2025 Downloaded on : Tue May 06 04:46:23 IST 2025 NEUTRAL CITATION R/CR.MA/5212/2025 ORDER DATED: 05/05/2025 undefined is not required in connection with any other offence for the time being.
11. At the trial, the concerned trial Court shall not be influenced by the prima facie observations made by this Court in the present order.
12. Rule is made absolute. Direct service permitted.
(M. R. MENGDEY,J) Manshi Page 5 of 5 Uploaded by MANSHI HARISHBHAI AMIN(HC01561) on Mon May 05 2025 Downloaded on : Tue May 06 04:46:23 IST 2025