Mrudul Mahendra Lalwani vs State Of Gujarat
2021 Latest Caselaw 3761 Guj

        R/CR.MA/1467/2021                                         ORDER




           IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD

           R/CRIMINAL MISC.APPLICATION NO. 1467 of 2021

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                        MRUDUL MAHENDRA LALWANI
                                  Versus
                            STATE OF GUJARAT
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Appearance:
MR ROHIT S VERMA(3887) for the Applicant(s) No. 1
MR RUTURAJ NANAVATI(5624) for the Applicant(s) No. 1
MR. L. B. DABHI, APP for the Respondent(s) No. 1
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 CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE A.Y. KOGJE

                                Date : 04/03/2021

                                  ORAL ORDER

1. This application is filed by the applicant under Section 439 of the Code

of Criminal Procedure, 1973 for regular bail in connection with FIR registered as C.R. No.I­11200010210078 of 2021 with VALSAD TOWN POLICE STATION, DISTRICT­VALSAD, for the offence punishable under Sections 370 of the Indian Penal Code and under Section 3, 4, 5, 6 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act.

2. Learned advocate appearing on behalf of the applicant submits that considering the nature of offence, the applicant may be enlarged on regular bail by imposing suitable conditions.

3. On the other hand, the learned Additional Public Prosecutor appearing for the respondent­State has opposed grant of regular bail looking to the nature and gravity of the offence.

R/CR.MA/1467/2021 ORDER

4. Learned Advocates appearing on behalf of the respective parties do not press for a further reasoned order.

5. I have heard the learned advocates appearing on behalf of the respective parties and perused the papers. Following aspects are considered :­ I) The F.I.R. is registered on 06­01­2021 for the offence which is alleged to have taken place on 05­01­2021;

II) The applicant is in custody since 06­01­2021;

III) Investigation qua the applicant is over as the remand period is over;

IV) Learned Advocate for the applicant submitted that from the investigation thus done so far and even as per the FIR, the role of the applicant is as a customer, who had visited the SPA.

V) Learned Advocate for the applicant has placed relience upon the judgment of this Court in case of Vinod @ Vijay Bhagubhai Patel vs. State of Gujarat & anr. reported in 2017(4)GLR 2804 to indicate that the provision of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act cannot be invoked in case of a customer.

VI) Learned Advocate for the applicant submitted that there is no allegations in the entire FIR against the applicant to be indulgiing in running for immoral traffic.

VII) Learned Advocate for the applicant under the instruction submitted that there are no other antecedents against the applicant;

VIII) Learned Additional Public Prosecutor under the instructions of the Investigating Officer is unable to bring on record any special circumstances against the applicant.

This Court has taken into consideration the law laid down by the Hon'ble Apex Court in the case of Sanjay Chandra v. Central Bureau of Investigation reported in [2012] 1 SCC 40.

6. In the facts and circumstances of the case and considering the nature of the allegations made against the applicant in the First Information

R/CR.MA/1467/2021 ORDER

Report, without discussing the evidence in detail, prima facie, this Court is of the opinion that this is a fit case to exercise the discretion and enlarge the applicant on regular bail.

7. Hence, the present application is allowed. The applicant is ordered to

be released on regular bail in connection with C.R. No.I­ 11200010210078 of 2021 with VALSAD TOWN POLICE STATION, DISTRICT­VALSAD, on executing a personal bond of Rs.10,000/= (Rupees Ten Thousand Only) with one surety of the like amount to the satisfaction of the trial Court and subject to the conditions that he shall;

(a) not take undue advantage of liberty or misuse liberty;

(b) not act in a manner injurious to the interest of the prosecution & shall not obstruct or hamper the police investigation and shall not to play mischief with the evidence collected or yet to be collected by the police;

(c) surrender passport, if any, to the Trial Court within a week;

(d) not leave the State of Gujarat without prior permission of the Trial Court concerned;

(e) 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.;

(f) furnish the present address of his residence to the Investigating Officer and also to the Court at the time of execution of the bond and shall not change the residence without prior permission of Trial Court;

8. The authorities will release the applicant only if he is not required in connection with any other offence for the time being. If breach of any of the above conditions is committed, the Sessions Judge concerned will be free to issue warrant or take appropriate action in the matter.

R/CR.MA/1467/2021 ORDER

9. Bail bond to be executed before the lower Court having jurisdiction to try the case. It will be open for the concerned Court to delete, modify and/or relax any of the above conditions, in accordance with law.

10.At the trial, the trial Court shall not be influenced by the observations of preliminary nature qua the evidence at this stage made by this Court while enlarging the applicant on bail.

11.The application is allowed in the aforesaid terms. Rule is made absolute to the aforesaid extent. Direct Service is permitted.

(A.Y. KOGJE, J) PARESH SOMPURA