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High Court of Gujarat

BHUPATBHAI GABHRUBHAI VALAversusSTATE OF GUJARAT

Disposal
38-RULE ABSOLUTE/ALLOWED @ FH

Holding

The court granted anticipatory bail to the applicant, subject to a personal bond and specified conditions.

Summary

The applicant, Bhupatbhai Gabhrubhai Vala, filed an anticipatory bail application under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, seeking protection against arrest in connection with an FIR alleging offences under multiple sections of the Bharatiy Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and the Gujarat Police Act. The applicant argued that custodial interrogation was unnecessary, he would remain available for investigation, and he had no prior criminal record. The State opposed bail, citing the seriousness of the alleged offences. The court examined factors such as the nature and gravity of the accusations, the applicant’s clean antecedents, and the risk of flight, and noted cross‑complaints and affidavits from the complainant. Relying on precedents including Siddharam Mhetre, Sibbia and Sushila Aggarwal, the court granted anticipatory bail with a personal bond of Rs.10,000 and several conditions, while preserving the police’s right to seek arrest for any breach.

Issues considered

  • Whether anticipatory bail should be granted under Section 482 of the BNSS given the nature and gravity of the offences alleged.
  • Whether the applicant poses a risk of fleeing justice or tampering with evidence.
  • Whether the presence of cross‑complaints and the applicant’s clean antecedents justify bail.

Legislation cited

Subjects

anticipatory bailSection 482Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha SanhitaBharatiy Nyaya Sanhitacriminal procedureflight riskbail conditionsGujarat

Judgment

     R/CR.MA/19330/2026                                      ORDER DATED: 19/08/2026




        IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD
R/CRIMINAL MISC.APPLICATION (FOR ANTICIPATORY BAIL) NO. 19330
                           of 2026
================================================================
                     BHUPATBHAI GABHRUBHAI VALA
                                    Versus
                            STATE OF GUJARAT
===================================================================
Appearance:
MR HARSHIT S BHATT(12874) for the Applicant(s) No. 1
MR. MAHARSHI V. VYAS(21050) for the Applicant(s) No. 1
MR KANVA ANTANI, APP for the Respondent(s) No. 1
================================================================
 CORAM:HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE SANJEEV J.THAKER
                  Date : 19/08/2026
                   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.11193013260139 of 2026, registered with Chalala Police

Station, District: Amreli for the offences punishable under

Sections109, 115(2), 118(1), 117(2), 352, 351(3), 54 and 61(2)

of Bharatiy Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and section 135 of G.P. Act.


2.      Learned advocate Mr. Nishith P. Acharya to file his

Vakalatnama on behalf of complainant before the Registry.

Registry to accept the same.



3.      Rule.      Learned     Additional         Public     Prosecutor         waives

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



4.      Learned advocate for the applicant submits that the

nature of allegations are such that custodial interrogation at



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      R/CR.MA/19330/2026                                           ORDER DATED: 19/08/2026




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.



4.1      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.



5.       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.


6.       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/19330/2026                                         ORDER DATED: 19/08/2026




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)       considering the fact that there are cross complaint filed

by the parties. Moreover, the complainant and other injured

person has also filed affidavit.

b)       the applicant has no past antecedents;

c)       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.



7.       Considering the aforesaid aspects and the law laid down

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



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     R/CR.MA/19330/2026                                           ORDER DATED: 19/08/2026




case of Sushila Aggarwal v. State (NCT of Delhi), reported in

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



8.      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;

        (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 26.08.2026 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



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      R/CR.MA/19330/2026                                                 ORDER DATED: 19/08/2026




         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.



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

the     prima        facie      observations           made        by     this     Court        while

considering the bail application.



9.       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.



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

service is permitted.

                                                                      (SANJEEV J.THAKER,J)
Manoj Kumar Rai
Original copy of this order has been signed by the Hon'ble Judge.
Digitally signed by: MANOJKUMAR RAI(HC01072), PRIVATE SECRETARY, at High Court of Gujarat on 19/08/2026 14:35:13

                                              Page 5 of 5


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