[2025:JHHC:29483] -1- IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI A.B.A. No. 1442 of 2025 Jayant Bhardwaj, S/o Basant Singh, Aged about 40 Years, R/o 1148 B Block Flat No- 102, Kumaharpara, Sonari, P.O. & P.S. - Sonari, District -East Singhbhum 831011 erstwhile posted as Branch Manager at HDFC Bank Ltd. having one of its branches situated at Ground Floor, Purulia Rd, Professor Colony, Chepapul, Azad Nagar, P.O. & P.S. Azad Nagar, District - East Singhbhum Jharkhand - 832110 and at present working for gain as Branch Manager at HDFC Bank Ltd., having one of its branches situated at HDFC Bank Ltd., K3/24, H S Road, Telco Colony, P.S.- Telco Thana, P.O. - Telco, District - East Singhbhum-831004. ..... … Petitioner Versus 1. The State of Jharkhand. 2. Anil Kumar KR. S/o Kunjuraman Nair, R/o Village Veli Nalloor, P.O. Pooyappally, P.S.-Pooyappally, District-Kollam, State-Kerala, PIN-691537. ..... … Opposite Parties -------- CORAM : HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJAY KUMAR DWIVEDI ------ For the Petitioner : Mr. Ashish Jha, Advocate. : Mr. Kumar Nischay, Advocate. For the State : Mr. P.C. Sinha, A.C. to G.A.-III. For the Informant : Mrs. Nitu Sinha, Advocate. ------ 10/ 23.09.2025 Heard learned counsel appearing for the petitioner, learned counsel appearing for the State and learned counsel appearing for the informant. 2. The petitioner is apprehending his arrest in connection with Azadnagar P.S. Case No. 36 of 2024, registered for the offences under Sections 419, 420, 467, 468, 471, 406, 102-B and 34 of the Indian Penal Code, pending in the Court of learned Judicial Magistrate, Jamshedpur. [2025:JHHC:29483] -2- 3. Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that the petitioner remained the Branch Manager of Azadnagar branch of HDFC Bank Ltd. for a very short period, as from 01.04.2022 till March 2023 and the petitioner had been posted as Branch Manager of Kadma Branch of HDFC Bank Ltd., pursuant to that, from 05.04.2023 till date, the petitioner is posted as Branch Manager of Telco Branch of HDFC Bank Ltd. He submits that at present the petitioner is posted as Branch Manager of Kadma Branch of HDFC Bank. He further submits that the informant by letter dated 25.01.2022, has sought information from the Manager HDFC Bank Ltd. Azadnagar Branch regarding the issuance of Fixed Deposit Nos. 50300586287456, 50300586291440, 50300586291045 & 50300586291822 by the Bank and its validity period, which has been specifically being responded by the petitioner through e-mail dated 25.01.2022 stating that the aforestated Fixed Deposits have been issued by HDFC Bank Ltd. in favour of JRA Infratech. He then submits that the said fixed deposits were placed by the JRA Infratech before the office of the informant for the purpose of taking certain contract and JRA Infratech has not completed the work and the Bank has been requested to forfeit the aforementioned fixed deposits, against the performance security / guarantee of the JRA Infratech and released in favour of the informant. He next submits that apart from that, there is no allegation against the petitioner. According to him, the Bank is having the parameters of operation and only allegation are there against him. 4. Learned counsel appearing for the State has opposed the prayer and submits that the allegations are there against the petitioner. 5. Learned counsel appearing for the informant has also opposed the prayer and submits that the petitioner has confirmed about [2025:JHHC:29483] -3- the deposition of the aforementioned fixed deposits in the HDFC Bank and in view of that the petitioner is liable. 6. In view of the above and looking into the contents of the FIR, it transpires that the only allegation against the petitioner is made of confirmation about the deposition of the aforementioned fixed deposits in the Bank, apart from that there is no allegation against the petitioner and the petitioner happened to be the Branch Manager of the HDFC Bank and further there are parameters of forfeiture of any deposit made before the Bank and the investigation is still going on, I am inclined to provide the privilege of anticipatory bail to the petitioner. 7. Accordingly, the petitioner, named above, is hereby directed to surrender before the learned court within three weeks from today, and in the event of her surrender/arrest, the petitioner, above named, shall be released on bail, on furnishing bail bond of Rs.25,000/- (Rupees Twenty Five Thousand), with two sureties of the like amount each, to the satisfaction of learned Judicial Magistrate, Jamshedpur, in connection with Azadnagar P.S. Case No. 36 of 2024, subject to the conditions as laid down under section 482(2) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. 8. Pending I.A., if any, stands disposed of. (Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi, J.) Dated:-23.09.2025 Amitesh/-