925-IA-3148-2025.doc IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CIRCUIT BENCH AT KOLHAPUR CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION INTERIM APPLICATION NO. 3148 OF 2025 IN CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 880 OF 2025 Bharat Gopal Holkar ...Applicant Versus. The State of Maharashtra ...Respondent ----- Mr. Yash Fadtare (through VC) a/w Sairaj Suryavanshi, Vaibhav Halake i/b Satyavrat Joshi, Advocate for the Applicant. Mr. S. S. Chaudhari, APP for the Respondent – State. PI Gawade, ACB Satara is present. ------- CORAM : ASHWIN D. BHOBE, J. DATE : 2nd September, 2026. P.C. : 1. Heard Mr. Yash Fadtare, learned Advocate for the Applicant and Mr. S. S. Chaudhari, learned APP for the Respondent – State. 2. Under the Judgment and Order dated 05.08.2025, passed in Special Case No. 15 of 2014, the Special Judge [PC Act], Karad (“Special Court”), has convicted the Applicant for offences punishable under Sections 7 and 13(1)(d) read with 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and has sentenced the Applicant to rigorous imprisonment for 1 year with a fine of Rs. 5,000/-. The Applicant is further sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for two years for offences punishable under Section 13(1)(d) read with 13(2) of the Prevention of Arjun 1 925-IA-3148-2025.doc Corruption Act, 1988. The sentences imposed on both counts are ordered to run concurrently. 3. Criminal Appeal No. 880 of 2025, filed by the Applicant against the Judgment and Order dated 05.08.2025 passed in Special Case No. 15 of 2014, is admitted today. 4. By this Application, the Applicant has sought the following substantive relief in terms of prayer clauses (b) and (c):- (b) Be pleased to suspend the sentence of imprisonment imposed on the Applicant vide judgment dated 05.08.2025 in Special Case No. 15/2014 passed by the Ld. Special Judge (P.C Act), Karad, during the pendency of the accompanying Criminal Appeal; (c) Be pleased to release the Applicant on bail pending the hearing and final disposal of the Criminal Appeal; 5. Mr. Yash Fadtare, learned Advocate for the Applicant, submits that the Applicant was in custody on 20.07.2014 and was released on bail on 21.07.2014. He submits that during the pendency of Special Case No. 15 of 2014, the Applicant was on bail and has abided by the conditions of the bail. He submits that the Applicant regularly appeared in Special Case No. 15 of 2014 during the trial. He submits that upon the conviction and sentence imposed on the Applicant on 05.08.2025, Arjun 2 925-IA-3148-2025.doc the Special Court suspended the sentence during the appeal period. He submits that on 04.09.2025, this Court continued the order of 05.08.2025. He submits that the Applicant has a good case on merits and as such requests the reliefs in terms of prayer clause (b) and (c). 6. Mr. S. S. Chaudhari, learned APP for the Respondent – State, submits that as the maximum sentence imposed on the Applicant is two years and that the Applicant has been granted ad-interim relief by this Court on 04.09.2025, he leaves the matter to the Court. 7. Perusal of the impugned Judgment and Order dated 05.08.2025, passed in Special Case No. 15 of 2014 in the context of the grounds raised in the memo of the Appeal, prima facie indicates that the Applicant has a fair chance of succeeding on the merits. As the sentence of imprisonment is two years and the Applicant has abided by the bail conditions imposed upon him during the trial, I am inclined to allow this Application. 8. Mr. Yash Fadtare, learned Advocate for the Applicant, states that the fine of Rs. 15,000/- imposed vide Judgment and Order dated 05.08.2025, passed in Special Case No. 15 of 2014 has been deposited in the Special Court. Arjun 3 925-IA-3148-2025.doc 9. In view of the above, this Application is allowed on the following conditions :- (a) The sentence imposed by the impugned Judgment and Order dated 05.08.2025, in Special Case No. 15 of 2014 is suspended pending the hearing and disposal of Criminal Appeal No. 880 of 2025. (b) The Applicant is released on bail in connection with the subject matter of Special Case No. 15 of 2014, upon furnishing a P.R. Bond in the sum of Rs. 50,000/- (Rupees Fifty Thousand Only), with one or two sureties, in the like amount, to the satisfaction of the Special Judge [PC Act], Karad. (c) The Applicant shall appear before this Court as and when Criminal Appeal No. 880 of 2025 is listed on the Cause List of this Court. 10. Interim Application No. 3148 of 2025 is allowed and disposed of. (ASHWIN D. BHOBE, J.) Arjun 4 ARJUN KRISHNA RODGE Digitally signed by ARJUN KRISHNA RODGE Date: 2026.09.04 15:01:56 +0530