Mumbai, April 8, 2022 – Mr. Pramod Mahajan Jangam, a 53-year-old electrician, was granted bail by the Sessions Court at Greater Bombay in connection with a property dispute case involving allegations of forgery and other offenses. The bail application, numbered 789 of 2022, arose from C.R. No. 108 of 2022 registered at the Worli Police Station.

The case stems from a complaint lodged on March 12, 2022, by Dr. Ajay Trambakrao Salunkhe, who claimed ownership of a storage unit (gala no. 1) located in BDD Chawl No. 94 in Worli. According to the prosecution’s case, Dr. Salunkhe found the lock of his storage unit broken on March 8, 2022. Upon inquiry, a co-accused, Mr. Samarth Gaikwad, allegedly informed Dr. Salunkhe that he was residing in the unit and that his father had purchased it approximately 27 years prior. Mr. Gaikwad also reportedly stated he would provide title documents.

The situation escalated on March 10, 2022, when Dr. Salunkhe entered the storage unit and discovered that his medical equipment and medicines were missing. The co-accused allegedly began to verbally abuse Dr. Salunkhe. The prosecution further alleged that Mr. Gaikwad, with the assistance of the present applicant, Mr. Jangam, had fabricated documents to obtain an electricity meter for the disputed storage unit. Consequently, a criminal case was registered against both Mr. Jangam and Mr. Gaikwad.

Mr. Jangam was arrested on March 15, 2022, and had been in custody since then, initially under police custody remand until March 17, 2022, and subsequently in magisterial custody.

Appearing on behalf of Mr. Jangam, Advocate Mr. Chetan Y. Bane argued that his client had been falsely implicated in the crime. He emphasized that Mr. Jangam was willing to abide by any conditions imposed by the court and requested the grant of bail.

The prosecution, represented by Learned APP Ms. Ashwini Rayakar, vehemently opposed the bail application. In their submission (Exhibit 2), they argued that the offenses were serious in nature, the investigation was still ongoing, and there was a possibility of the applicant tampering with prosecution witnesses if released on bail.

However, His Honour Judge Shri R.J. Katariya (C.R. No. 56) presiding over the Sessions Court, after hearing both sides and perusing the First Information Report (FIR), noted that the primary allegations of illegally breaking into the storage unit and taking away equipment were against the co-accused. The allegation against Mr. Jangam was specifically that he had aided in the creation of fabricated documents used to obtain the electricity meter.

The court also considered the fact that Mr. Jangam had been in custody since his arrest on March 15, 2022, and that the alleged fabricated documents had already been seized by the police from the co-accused. Furthermore, the court observed that the offenses registered against Mr. Jangam were triable by a Magistrate.

Justice Katariya opined that it would not be appropriate to keep the accused behind bars indefinitely, especially considering his willingness to abide by any conditions set by the court. The court concluded that granting bail to Mr. Jangam with suitable conditions would not prejudice the prosecution’s case.

Consequently, the court passed the following order:

ORDER

1. Bail Application No. 789 of 2022 is allowed.
2. The applicant/accused, Mr. Pramod Mahajan Jangam, shall be released on bail in C.R. No. 108/2022 registered at Worli Police Station, upon furnishing a Personal Recognizance (P.R.) bond of ₹15,000/- (Rupees Fifteen Thousand Only) with a surety of a like amount.
3. The applicant shall cooperate with the ongoing investigation and attend the Worli Police Station as and when required by the Investigating Officer.
4. The applicant shall not commit any other or similar offense.
5. The applicant shall furnish the documents pertaining to his permanent and temporary residential addresses to the Investigating Officer.
6. The applicant shall provide written intimation to the Investigating Officer and the Learned Metropolitan Magistrate Court whenever he changes his residential or temporary address.
7. The applicant shall not directly or indirectly make any inducement, threat, or promise to the informant or any person acquainted with the facts of the case to dissuade them from disclosing such facts to the Court or tamper with the evidence.
8. Any breach of the conditions outlined in this order shall be grounds for the cancellation of the bail.
9. Provisional cash bail is allowed for a period of six weeks from the date of the order (April 8, 2022).
10. The bail must be furnished before the Learned Metropolitan Magistrate Court, which is directed to accept the provisional cash bail as specified.
11. Bail Application No. 789/2022 stands disposed of.

The order was pronounced and signed by Additional Sessions Judge (C.R. No. 56) Shri R.J. Katariya at the City Civil & Sessions Court, Greater Bombay, on April 8, 2022.

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