Mumbai, June 27, 2022 – Shridhar Laxman Gije, a 29-year-old service professional arrested in connection with a gold theft case, has been granted bail by the Sessions Court for Greater Bombay. Additional Sessions Judge S.D. Kulkarni ordered Gije’s release, citing that the investigation was complete and the charge sheet had already been filed.
Gije, a resident of Kandalwada, Raigad, was arrested on February 13, 2022, in connection with C.R. No. 33 of 2022 registered at L.T. Marg Police Station, Mumbai. He was accused of an offense punishable under Section 381 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which deals with theft by clerk or servant of property in possession of master.
Defence Argues Completed Investigation
Gije, represented by Advocate Phalke, contended that he was falsely implicated in the crime. His counsel highlighted that Gije had been in service with the informant’s office for the past 10 years and was a permanent resident of Mumbai, thereby eliminating any possibility of tampering with the prosecution’s case. The primary argument for bail was that the investigation officer had already filed the charge sheet, indicating that the entire investigation had been completed and further custodial interrogation was not required.
Prosecution Opposes Bail, Citing Recovered Gold
The prosecution, represented by APP. Shri. Ramesh Siroya, opposed the bail application. They submitted that while 175.68 grams of gold had been recovered from the accused, a significant quantity of 604.85 grams of gold was yet to be recovered. The prosecution argued that releasing the accused on bail could affect the recovery of the remaining stolen property and potentially lead to him tampering with evidence.
Court’s Decision
After perusing the bail application, the prosecution’s reply, and hearing arguments from both sides, Judge S.D. Kulkarni noted that Gije had been arrested over four months prior. The court found it significant that the investigating officer had completed the investigation and filed the charge sheet.
“Therefore, in my opinion once the chargesheet is filed, therefore custodial interrogation of the accused is not necessary. The property already seized from the possession of accused. Therefore there is no point to keep him in behind the bar,” the order stated.
Bail Conditions
Accordingly, the court allowed Bail Application No. 680 of 2022, ordering the release of Shridhar Laxman Gije on the following conditions:
- Personal Bond and Surety Bond: Gije must be released on a Personal Bond (P.B.) and Surety Bond (S.B.) of Rs. 50,000/- with one or two sureties.
- No Tampering: The accused shall not tamper with the prosecution witnesses and evidence in any manner.
- Provisional Cash Bail: A provisional cash bail in the like amount (Rs. 50,000/-) is allowed. Gije must furnish the surety within four weeks from the date of his release from jail, failing which the cash bail will be forfeited without a separate order.
- Bail before Committing Court: Bail is to be furnished before the learned committing Court.
The Bail Application No. 680 of 2022 was disposed of accordingly. The order was dictated and pronounced in open court on June 23, 2022, transcribed on June 24, 2022, and signed on June 27, 2022.