908-ABA-2119-2026.DOC IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION ANTICIPATORY BAIL APPLICATION NO.2119 OF 2026 Vinod Gitaram Daund …Applicant Versus The State of Maharashtra …Respondent Mr. Rudra Tibhe, for the Applicant. Mr. S. V. Walve, APP, for the Respondent-State. CORAM: MADHAV J. JAMDAR, J. DATED : 19th AUGUST 2026 PC:- 1. Heard Mr. Tibhe, learned Counsel appearing for the Applicant and Mr. Walve, learned APP appearing for the Respondent-State. 2. This application is filed under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (“BNSS”) seeking pre-arrest bail in connection with C.R. No.412 of 2026 registered with Ambad Police Station, Nashik, for the offences punishable under Sections 3(5), 318(4), 351(2) and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (“BNS”). Page 1 Sonali 908-ABA-2119-2026.DOC 3. It appears that the provisions of Sections 3 and 4 of the Maharashtra Protection of Interest of Depositors (in Financial Establishments) Act, 1999 have also been subsequently invoked. 4. The prosecution case is set out in a chart tendered by Mr. Tibhe, learned Counsel appearing for the Applicant, which reads as under: “That from 19/06/2025 to the present, at Rana Pratap Chowk (CIDCO, Ambad, Nashik) and other locations, accused no.1 along with her husband (accused no.3) and a man she regarded as her brother (accused no.2) acted in collusion with the informant and they gained the trust of informant and other women by forming women’s self-help groups-specifically the ‘Om Sai Bachat Gat’- and promising informant and others to secure a business loan of Rs.1.20 crore. That accused persons claimed that this loan would be sanctioned by Arihant Microfinance (Chennai) through one Sundarappa Shetty. That in order to facilitate accused persons business activities they took a total of Rs.18,53,000 from informant comprising Rs.3,11,000 transferred online via Phonepe and Rs.15,42,000 in cash, along with gold jewellery weighing approximately 4 tolas, under the pretext of sanctioning a loan. However, the accused persons failed to sanction any loan and have not returned the money or the gold jewelry or the gold jewelry till date to the informant, thereby defrauding informant of Rs.18,53,000/- and other women of approximately Rs.3 to Rs.4 crore. Furthermore, when informant’s mother-in-law. Shashikala Ramesh Zhite, and Informant demanded Page 2 Sonali 908-ABA-2119-2026.DOC the return of money, from accused no.3 and accused no.2 they threatened to kill them.” 5. Perusal of the FIR shows that the main allegations are against accused No.1 and the amounts are also received by the accused No.1. The only role attributed to the present Applicant, who is treated as brother by the accused No.1 is that he has abused the First Information and her mother-in-law when both of them went to the accused No.1 and her husband i.e. accused No.2 seeking that the amount invested by them be returned to them. There are no other antecedents against the Applicant. 6. Accordingly, the case is made out for grant of Anticipatory Bail. In view thereof, the following order is passed: O R D E R (a) In the event of arrest of the Applicant-Vinod Gitaram Daund in connection with C.R. No.412 of 2026 registered with the Ambad Police Station, Nashik, the Applicant is directed to be released on bail on his furnishing P.R. Bond in the sum of Rs.50,000/- with one or two solvent sureties in the like amount. (b) The Applicant shall attend the concerned Police Page 3 Sonali 908-ABA-2119-2026.DOC Station on every Monday between 11:00 a.m. to 02:00 p.m. till filing of the chargesheet and shall cooperate with the investigation. In addition, the Applicant shall attend the concerned Police Station as and when called. (c) The Applicant shall furnish his cell phone number and residential address to the Investigating Officer and shall keep the same updated, in case of any change thereto. (d) The Applicant shall not directly or indirectly make any inducement, threat, or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade such a person from disclosing the facts to the Court or to any Police personnel. (e) The Applicant shall not tamper with the prosecution evidence and shall not contact or influence the Complainant or any witness in any manner. 7. The Anticipatory Bail Application is disposed of accordingly. [MADHAV J. JAMDAR, J.] Page 4 Sonali SONALI MILIND PATIL Digitally signed by SONALI MILIND PATIL Date: 2026.08.24 11:02:33 +0530