907-ABA-2335-2026.DOC skt IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION ANTICIPATORY BAIL APPLICATION NO. 2335 OF 2026 Sagar Maruti Doltade …Applicant Vs. State of Maharashtra …Respondent Mr. Dhanraj Lodha (through VC), for the Applicant. Mr. Swapnil V. Walve, APP for the Respondent-State. API Gaikwad, Pune EOW, Hadapsar Police Station. CORAM: MADHAV J. JAMDAR, J. DATE : 13th OCTOBER, 2026 P. C.: 1. Heard Mr. Lodha, learned counsel appearing for the Applicant and Mr. Walve, learned counsel appearing for the Respondent. 2. By this application filed under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, the Applicant is seeking pre- arrest bail in connection with C.R. No.49 of 2026 registered with Hadapsar Police Station transferred to EOW Unit-5, Pune for the offences punishable under Section 318(4), 336(2), 336(3), 340(2), 316(5), 3(5) and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and Sections 3 and 4 of the Maharashtra Protection of Interest of Depositors (in Financial Establishments) Act, 1999. 13th October, 2026 907-ABA-2335-2026.DOC skt 3. The prosecution case is set out in paragraph No.2 of the order dated 28th July 2026 passed by the learned Additional Sessions Judge, Pune in Anticipatory Bail Application No. 1780 of of 2026. The said paragraph No. 2 reads as under :- “2. The facts relevant for the purpose of present application, are as under: The complainant one Laxmi Barlal was introduced to accused no.1 Prashant Gavali, owner of one Samartha Corp. Care company, who had set-up its office near Lohiya Udyan, Hadapsar, Pune. He was into business of soliciting investments upon assurance of hefty returns. On the recommendation of her friend one Chitra Nagarkar, the complainant lady invested Rs.2 lakhs with the accused in his company. She was promised returns of 5% profit and 5% repayment of principal every month, for a period of 20 months. However, the complainant received returns of Rs.10,000/- each, only for initial 2 months till August 2025. Thereafter, she did not receive any repayments. The complainant, therefore, went to the office of accused Prashant Gavali. She was assured that amounts would be repaid by Diwali 02/10/2025. However, even in October 2025, the amounts were not returned. The complainant learnt that many other persons like her were duped by the accused, 13th October, 2026 907-ABA-2335-2026.DOC skt by promoting his firm to be investing in Agro industries, and pretending to get high returns. The complainant, therefore, approached police station Hadapsar, and lodged report, following which, above offence came to be registered. In course of investigations, police arrested accused no.1 Prashant Gavali on 22/01/2026. In course of custodial interrogation, it was learnt that arrested accused no.1 Prashant Gavali had invested the depositors’ money with various companies and agencies, to swindle and misappropriate them. Certain amounts were also transferred to the account by applicant/accused. The police, therefore, sought to interrogate him. Following the same, he has rushed to this court to seek anticipatory bail.” 4. It is the submission of Mr. Lodha, learned counsel appearing for the Applicant that the Applicant is not involved in the crime and even in the F.I.R. also his name is not disclosed. 5. On the other hand, Mr. Walve, learned APP points out that during investigation, it transpired that an aggregate amount of Rs.1,24,30,000/- has been deposited in the account of the present Applicant by the main accused. He also submits that the prosecution has appointed a Chartered Accountant, who after 13th October, 2026 907-ABA-2335-2026.DOC skt studying the account, has also verified that from the account of Samarth Crop Care Indusind, an aggregate amount of Rs. Rs.1,24,30,000/- has been deposited in the account of the present Applicant from 11th February 2024 to 16th May 2025. Thus, prima facie the Applicant is involved in the crime. The offence is very serious. 6. Accordingly, no case is made out for grant of anticipatory bail. The Anticipatory Bail Application is rejected. [MADHAV J. JAMDAR, J.] 13th October, 2026