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High Court of Gujarat

VENUSKUMAR KIRITKUMAR PALSANAWALAversusSTATE OF GUJARAT

Disposal
38-RULE ABSOLUTE/ALLOWED @ FH

Holding

Anticipatory bail is granted to the applicant subject to specified conditions.

Summary

The applicant, Venus Kumar Kiritkumar Palsanawala, filed an anticipatory bail application under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, seeking protection against arrest in connection with FIR No.11210047260013 concerning offences under Sections 316(5), 318(4), 54 and 351(3) of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita. The prosecution opposed bail, citing the seriousness of the alleged offences. The Court examined the nature of the dispute, noting it stemmed from a commercial transaction and alleged cheque bounce under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, and observed that the applicant had no prior criminal record and pledged to cooperate with the investigation. Relying on precedents such as Siddharam Satlingappa Mhetre v. State of Maharashtra, Gurubaksh Singh Sibbia & Others, and Sushila Aggarwal v. State (NCT of Delhi), the Court granted anticipatory bail with a personal bond of Rs.10,000 and a series of conditions. The order emphasized that the bail does not impede police investigation and that any breach could lead to arrest under Section 483(2) of the BNSS.

Issues considered

  • Whether anticipatory bail should be granted under Section 482 BNSS given the nature and gravity of the offences alleged.
  • Whether the applicant poses a flight risk or threat to the investigation.
  • Whether the underlying dispute is essentially civil, affecting the bail consideration.

Legislation cited

Subjects

anticipatory bailSection 482 BNSSbail conditionscivil disputecheque bounceNegotiable Instruments Actcriminal procedure

Judgment

     R/CR.MA/15745/2026                                            ORDER DATED: 10/07/2026




             IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD

R/CRIMINAL MISC.APPLICATION (FOR ANTICIPATORY BAIL) NO. 15745
                           of 2026

==========================================================
                  VENUSKUMAR KIRITKUMAR PALSANAWALA
                                 Versus
                          STATE OF GUJARAT
==========================================================
Appearance:
MR NAVED MOHAMMAD A SHAIKH(12949) for the Applicant(s) No. 1
MR NIRAJ SHARMA, APP for the Respondent(s) No. 1
==========================================================

 CORAM:HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE SANJEEV J.THAKER

                                 Date : 10/07/2026

                                    ORAL ORDER


1.      By way of this application under Section 482 of the

Bharatiya         Nagarik      Suraksha         Sanhita,           2023       ( for   short,
“BNSS”), the applicant has prayed for anticipatory bail in the
event     of    arrest    in    connection       with        the     FIR      being     C.R.

No.11210047260013 of 2026, registered with Udhana Police

Station, District: Surat City for the offences punishable under

Sections       316(5),    318(4),    54,    351(3)      of    the       Bhartiya       Nyay

Sanhita.



2.      Rule.         Learned       Additional       Public        Prosecutor         waives

service of notice of rule for respondent – State of Gujarat.



3.      Learned advocate for the applicant submits that the

nature of allegations are such that custodial interrogation at



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      R/CR.MA/15745/2026                                           ORDER DATED: 10/07/2026




this stage is not necessary. It is further submitted that the

applicant will keep himself available during the course of

investigation and trial also and will not flee from justice.



3.1      The learned advocate for the applicant further states

that the applicant shall abide by all the conditions that may

be imposed while granting anticipatory bail to the applicant.

Accordingly, it is urged that this application may be allowed

and to grant the anticipatory bail to the applicant.



4.       As against this, the learned Additional Public Prosecutor

appearing on behalf of the respondent – State has opposed

grant of anticipatory bail looking to the nature and gravity of

the offence and requested not to entertain this application.


5.       Having heard the learned advocates appearing for the

parties and perusing the papers available on record, it is

incumbent           upon         the   Court         to    exercise        its   discretion

judiciously, cautiously and strictly in compliance with the

basic principles laid down in plethora of decisions of the

Apex Court on the point. It is well settled that, among other

circumstances,             the    factors      to     be   borne      in     mind      while

considering an application for bail are (i) the nature and

gravity of the accusation; (ii) the antecedents of the applicant

including the fact as to whether he has previously undergone



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      R/CR.MA/15745/2026                                             ORDER DATED: 10/07/2026




imprisonment on conviction by a Court in respect of any

cognizable offence; (iii) the possibility of the applicant to flee

from justice; and (iv) where the accusation has been made

with the object of injuring or humiliating the applicant by

having him so arrested. Though at the stage of granting bail

an elaborate examination of evidence and detailed reasons

touching the merits of the case, which may prejudice the

case of accused, should be avoided.                               However, prima facie,

following aspects have been taken into consideration:



a)       the present dispute is with respect to the goods sold

and delivered, and it appears to be a civil dispute given a

nature of criminal;

b) there is also evidence that certain cheques have been

given, learned advocate for the applicant has made statement
at bar that he has instructions that notices have been issued

under        the    provisions          of     Section      138     of    the    Negotiable

Instruments Act;

c)       the applicant has no past antecedents;

d)       the learned advocate for the applicant has assured that

the     applicant          will   not        flee    from    justice      and     would        be

available during investigation as well as the trial.



6.       Considering the aforesaid aspects and the law laid down

by     the     Hon’ble        Apex       Court        in    the    case    of    Siddharam



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     R/CR.MA/15745/2026                                  ORDER DATED: 10/07/2026




Satlingappa Mhetre v. State of Maharashtra and Others,
reported in (2011) 1 SCC 6941, wherein the Hon’ble Apex
Court reiterated the law laid down by the Constitution Bench

in   the      case    of   Shri Gurubaksh Singh Sibbia & Others,
reported in (1980) 2 SCC 665 and also the decision in the
case of Sushila Aggarwal v. State (NCT of Delhi), reported in

(2020) 5 SCC 1, the Court is inclined to allow the present
application.



7.      In the result, this application is allowed by directing

that in the event of arrest/ appearance of the applicant in

connection with the above-referred FIR, the applicant shall be

released on bail on furnishing a personal bond of Rs.10,000/-

(Rupees Ten Thousand) with one surety of like amount on

the following conditions that applicant:


        (a)     shall cooperate with the investigation and make

        available for interrogation whenever required;



        (b)     shall      not   directly      or   indirectly     make        any

        inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted

        with the fact of the case so as to dissuade him from

        disclosing such facts to the court or to any police

        officer;




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R/CR.MA/15745/2026                                          ORDER DATED: 10/07/2026




   (c)     shall      not      obstruct         or     hamper         the      police

   investigation and not to play mischief with the evidence

   collected or yet to be collected by the police;



   (d)     shall      remain    present         at    the      concerned       Police

   Station on 17.07.2026 between 11.00 a.m. and 2.00 p.m.;



   (e)     shall at the time of execution of bond, furnish the

   address       to    the   investigating           officer    and     the     court

   concerned and shall not change residence till the final

   disposal of the case till further orders;



   (f)     shall not leave India without the permission of the

   Court and if having passport shall deposit the same

   before the trial Court within a week;


   (g)     It is open to the police or the investigating agency

   to move the learned trial Court for a direction under

   Section 483(2) of the BNSS to arrest the accused, in

   the event of violation of any term, such as absconding,

   non-cooperating             during            investigation,             evasion,

   intimidation or inducement to witnesses with a view to

   influence outcome of the investigation or trial, etc.




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                    R/CR.MA/15745/2026                                                ORDER DATED: 10/07/2026




              7.1      At the trial, the Trial Court shall not be influenced by

              the      prima       facie      observations           made       by     this      Court          while

              considering the bail application.



              8.       It is made clear that this order of anticipatory bail does

              not in any manner limit or restrict the rights or duties of

              the police or investigative agency to investigate into the

              charges against the applicant who is granted pre-arrest bail.



              9.       Rule is made absolute to the aforesaid extent.                                       Direct

              service is permitted.


                                                                                   (SANJEEV J.THAKER,J)
              URIL RANA




Original copy of this order has been signed by the Hon'ble Judge.
Digitally signed by: RANA URIL K(HC01406), PRIVATE SECRETARY, at High Court of Gujarat on 10/07/2026 17:03:30




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