Bombay High Court: In a case wherein, the applicant was accused of being involved in vehicle registration scam by forging documents in State of Maharashtra, a Single Judge Bench of Ashwin D. Bhobe, J., stated that the applicant’s involvement was that of a dealer, and the two accused persons he allegedly was in touch with, were already released on bail by the Judicial Magistrate First Class, 44th Court, Andheri, Mumbai, by order dated 16-12-2024. The Court thus allowed the present application and granted pre-arrest bail to the applicant.
In the present case, the Deputy Regional Transport Officer, Regional Transport Office, Mumbai filed a complaint in respect of illegal registration of vehicles or vehicle registration scam from outside the State of Maharashtra by forging documents. Thus, a case was registered with the Amboli Police Station, Mumbai for the offence punishable under Sections 420, 465, 468, and 471 read with 34 of the Penal Code, 1860. There were 87 vehicles involved in the said illegal registration and there were 12 accused persons, out of which, 6 were granted regular bail and the remaining 6 were absconding.
The applicant filed an anticipatory bail application, but the same was dismissed by the Court of Sessions Judge, Dindoshi, Borivali Division, Goregaon (East), Mumbai by order dated 15-4-2025. Thus, the applicant filed the present application under Section 482 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, seeking anticipatory bail.
Counsel for the applicant submitted that the applicant was dealing in vehicles and he had in bonafide manner purchased two Eicher Bus/Truck vehicles in the State of Maharashtra and thereafter sold the same to the purchasers. The only allegation against the applicant was that he was in touch with two other accused persons, who were already granted bail by the Judicial Magistrate First Class, 44th Court, Andheri, Mumbai, by order dated 16-12-2024.
Counsel for the respondent submitted that the crime in the present case, pertained to a vehicle registration scam, wherein vehicles from other states and/or the vehicles which could not have been registered, were registered in the State of Maharashtra by creating false documents with the involvement of government officials.
The Court stated that the applicant’s involvement was that of a dealer in the said vehicle registration scam, and the two accused persons he allegedly was in touch with were already released on bail. The Court thus allowed the present application and granted pre-arrest bail to the applicant on the condition of furnishing PR Bond of Rs 50000 with one or two sureties in the like amount.
[Mohamad Abdul Raheman Malik v. State of Maharashtra, Anticipatory Bail Application No. 1055 of 2025, decided on 3-6-2025]
Advocates who appeared in this case :
For the Applicant: Nizamuddin Khan a/w Sheeba Khan and Nafeesa Khan, Advocates for the Applicant.
For the Respondent: Megha Bajoria, APP for the Respondent-State.
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