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IN THE HIGH COURT OF DHARWAD BENCH

DATED THIS THE 17 th DAY OF DECEMBER 2019

BEFORE

THE HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE P.G.M.PATIL

CRIMINAL PETITION NO.102390/2019

BETWEEN

1. SRI.MAHADEV S/O SHANKAR JOKARE @ CHOKARE, AGE: 45 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O: (KL), TQ: NIPPANI, DIST: BELAGAVI-590001.

2. SRI.SAMBHAJI S/O VASANT PATIL AGE: 50 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O: MAMADAPUR (KL), TQ: NIPPANI, DIST: BELAGAVI-590001.

3. SRI.BALASAHEB S/O SHANKAR MAGADUM AGE: 45 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O: MAMADAPUR (KL), TQ: NIPPANI, DIST: BELAGAVI-590001.

4. SRI.DATTATRAYA S/O RAMACHANDRA MAGADUM AGE: 75 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURE, R/O: MAMADAPUR (KL), TQ: NIPPANI, DIST: BELAGAVI-590001.

... PETITIONERS

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(By SRI. SRINAND A PACHHAPURE, ADV.)

AND

THE STATE OF KARNATAKA THROUGH POLICE STATION, NOW REP. BY STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, DHARWAD BENCH AT DHARWAD-580001.

... RESPONDENT

(By SMT. SEEMA SHIVA NAIK, HCGP)

THIS CRIMINAL PETITION IS FILED U/S 438 OF CR.P.C. SEEKING TO GRANT ANTICIPATORY BAIL TO THE PETITIONERS/ACCUSED NO.1 TO 4 IN THE EVENT OF THEIR ARREST IN SADALAGA P.S. CRIME NO.77/2019 REGISTERED FOR THE OFFENCES P/U/S 420, 465, 468, 471 & 109 R/W SEC. 34 OF IPC, BY THE RESPONDENT SADALAGA POLICE STATION, PENDING ON THE FILE OF THE ADDL. CIVIL JUDGE (JR.DN.) & JMFC COURT, .

THIS PETITION COMING ON FOR ORDERS THIS DAY, THE COURT PASSED THE FOLLOWING:

ORDER

This is an anticipatory bail petition filed

under section 438 of Cr.P.C., seeking to enlarge

the petitioners on bail, in the event of their 3

arrest, in Crime No.77/2019 of Sadalaga police station, registered for the offences punishable under sections 420, 465, 468, 471 and 109 read with Section 34 of IPC.

2. The brief facts of the case are that

03.08.2019, one Vinayak Sutar, Chief Secretary of Om Shree Sambhaji Ingale Prathamika Krushi

Pattin Sahakari Sangh Niyamit, Mamadapur filed the complaint before the respondent police who has alleged in the complaint that on

25.07.2019, he received as letter through registered post from Assistant Registrar of Co- operative Societies, Chikkodi to the effect that election held in their Society on 21.06.2019, was not conducted lawfully and therefore, he has to attend the said office for enquiry. Other members of the Society and board of directors also received similar notices. On going through 4

the application and enclosed documents, they noticed that one Mahadev Shankar Jokare and

Dattatraya Ramachandra Magadum submitted an application dated 11.06.2019 seeking copies of various documents of the proceedings of society from 2013-14 to 2017-18. On the said application signature of the complainant was forged for having received the said application.

Similarly, a reply dated 14.06.2019, in his name was also forged on a fake letterhead of the

Society. The reply was to the effect that from

2013-14 no annual general body meeting has been convened by the Society and hence, no notice has been issued to the members and no registers have been maintained. Therefore, he has alleged that his signatures are forged in the reply letter. On the basis of the complaint, respondent police registered the case against the accused persons for the aforesaid offences. 5

3. The petitioners who are arraigned as accused Nos.1, 3, 4 and 2 have stated that there is no nexus with the alleged offences and they were falsely implicated in the case and the petitioners have not caused any loss of damage to the complainant society nor they have deceived any person. The petitioners have not given anything in the alleged act. Therefore the ingredients of the alleged incident are not forthcoming. The alleged incident took place between 11.6.2019 to 14.6.2019. The complaint was lodged on 3.8.2019 and there is no explanation for the delay. Petitioner No.3 worked as secretary in the said society for a period of two years from 2013-14 to 2014-15 and petitioner

No.2 worked for six months in the year 2017.

Petitioners No.1 and 4 are in no way concerned to the society. Some of the offences are non bailable and others are bailable offence and they are triable by the court of JMFC. The petitioners are 6

agriculturists and permanent residents of the address shown in the cause title. They are ready to abide by the conditions, which may be imposed by the Court and to furnish adequate surety to the satisfaction of the Court.

4. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioners and the learned High Court

Government Pleader.

5. The allegations against the petitioners in the complaint that they being the secretaries of the complainant society for the previous years, it is alleged that they have forged the signature of the present secretary on a fake letter head of the society for issuing reply to the application filed by accused Nos.1 and 4. There is no allegation of cheating or misappropriation of any funds by the petitioners. The alleged offences are not punishable with death or imprisonment for life and they are triable by the Court of JMFC. The 7

custodial interrogation of the petitioners is also not required.

6. Under these circumstances, this Court is of the considered opinion that the petitioners are entitled to be released on bail by imposing necessary conditions, to see that the petitioners shall not abscond, shall not tamper with the prosecution witnesses and shall co-operate in the investigation of the case. Accordingly this Court proceed to pass the following:

ORDER

The anticipatory bail petition filed under section 438 of Cr.P.C. is allowed. The petitioners are ordered to be released on bail in the event of their arrest in Crime No.77/2019 of Sadalaga

Police Station, on the following conditions.

i) The petitioners shall surrender themselves before the investigating officer of the 8

concerned police station within 10 days from the date of receipt of certified copy of this order and shall furnish a personal bond for a sum of

`50,000/- each, with a surety for the like sum to the satisfaction of the investigating officer.

ii) The petitioners shall co-operate with the investigating officer to complete the investigation and shall also mark their attendance before the

SHO of Sadalaga Police Station on every 2 nd and

4th Sunday of the month between 10.00 a.m. and

5.00 p.m., till the final report is filed.

iii) The petitioners shall not cause threat or tamper with the prosecution witnesses in any manner and shall not leave the jurisdiction of the trial Court without prior permission.

Sd/- JUDGE KGK