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1. These bail applications are filed by accused no. 1-Prakash 901.517.23 ba.docx Phale, accused no. 2-Prashant Joshi, accused no. 5-Ravindra Barhate, accused no. 9-Jayesh Jagtap and accused no. 10- Devendra Jain for enlarging them on bail in connection with CR No. 79 of 2021 registered with Chaturshrungi Police Station for the offences punishable under sections 406, 420, 506(2), 386, 387, 388, 389, 120(B), 109 read with 34 of the Indian Penal Code ('IPC') and under Sections 3(1)(ii), 3(2), 3(4) of Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act, 1999 ('MCOC Act').

2. Accused no. 1-Prakash Phale was arrested on 26 th March 2021, accused no. 5-Ravindra Barhate was arrested on 5 th January 2022, accused no. 2-Prashant Joshi was arrested on 27 th June 2021, accused no. 9-Jayesh Jagtap was arrested on 29 th May 2022 and accused no. 10-Devendra Jain was arrested on 7 th February 2022. The chargesheet was filed on 20 th September 2021, and the supplementary chargesheet was filed on 15 th February 2022. However, the charge is not yet framed. It is the prosecution's case that 17 witnesses are to be examined.

34. Learned Special PP further points out that accused no. 10- Devendra Jain, who is a reporter, had threatened the complainant to defame her and her father. He submits that defamatory articles were published by the accused, Devendra Jain, only with the intention to threaten the complainant and her daughter. He submits that the complainant and her daughter specifically state these allegations in their respective statements.

35. Learned Special PP further submits that in the FIR, one Vishal Totre was named as an accused. He submits that Vishal Totre visited the complainant and threatened her into entering into a settlement with all the accused. He submits that in the supplementary statement of the complainant and the statement of her daughter, this threat given through Vishal is specifically stated.

42. Learned Special PP points out statements of the complainant, her daughter and Nitin Shah. Learned Special PP mainly relies upon the statement of Nitin Shah to point out that 901.517.23 ba.docx threats were given by the four accused, i.e. Prashant Joshi, Prakash Phale, Shailesh Jagtap, and Vinay Mundada, who are also chargesheeted, but Vinay Mundada is absconding. Learned Special PP also pointed out that in one of the incidents, even accused no. 10-Devendra Jain was present along with these accused, where a demand was made of Rs. 3 Crores. However, the complainant or her daughter has not made any direct allegations against accused no. 5-Ravindra Barhate that he had given any threat or there was any coercion to enter into any transaction in respect of her landed property by him. Nitin Shah has made vague statements, and there are no specifics regarding the period during which the alleged threats were made by these accused. The only material against Devendra Jain appears to be that he has published defamatory articles.