PRITI WILSON SHINDEversusTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA

                                                         11-ABA-2408-2025 (CR).docx


           IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
                    CIRCUIT BENCH AT KOLHAPUR

                      CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

            CR. ANTICIPATORY BAIL APPLN. NO. 2408 OF 2025

Priti Wilson Shinde                                   … Applicant
                      Versus
The State Of Maharashtra                              … Respondent


                                  ——————
Mr. Kuldeep U. Nikam for the Applicant.
Mr. A.S. Shalgaonkar, A.P.P. for the Respondent-State.
                                  ——————

                                 Coram :       MEHROZ K. PATHAN, J.

                                 Date      :   25th June 2026.

PER COURT :

1.    The Applicant has approached this Court seeking anticipatory bail in

connection with F.I.R. No. 0031 of 2025, dated 07/02/2025, registered with

Vishrambag Police Station, District Sangli, for the offences punishable under

Sections 318(4), 316(5), 3(5) of The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and

Section 3 of The Maharashtra Protection of Interest of Depositors (in

Financial Establishments) Act, 1999.

2.    The Applicant - Priti Wilson Shinde is the wife of the main accused

Ashutosh P. Kasekar. The Applicant was called upon by issuing a notice under



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Section 35 of The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. The Applicant

has attended the Investigating Officer on 3 rd June 2025 and since then have

cooperated with the investigation.         The Applicant was arraigned as an

accused only after seven months of filing of the F.I.R. i.e. on 02/09/2025. The

Applicant was protected by the interim order passed by the trial Court dated

23/09/2025. During the pendency of the Criminal Bail Application before

the Sessions Judge, the Applicant was directed to attend the Police Station as

and when called upon by the Investigating Officer by a written notice. The

said interim order was operating till the Bail Application came to be rejected

finally by the learned Sessions Judge on 23/09/2025. The Applicant has

approached this Court by filing the present Application.       This Court vide

order dated 17/10/2025 had protected the Applicant and continued the

interim relief granted by the learned Sessions Judge, which is operating since

till today. The Applicant is a woman and the wife of main accused. There are

transactions relied upon by the prosecution between the Applicant and the

main accused Ashutosh, who is the husband of the Applicant. To show the

involvement of the present Applicant in the said crime apart from the

aforesaid transactions there are no allegations of inducements at the behest

of the present Applicant to any of the investors. Hence, the Applicant may be

protected by continuing and confirming the interim order dated 17/10/2025.

3.    Learned A.P.P. on the other hand strongly opposes the anticipatory bail


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application on the ground that the Applicant is involved in serious offence of

fraud and criminal breach of trust committed by her husband. There are

transactions to show that the Applicant was played an important role in the

entire scam. The Applicant has facilitated her bank account to be used for

the investment to be carried out by the gullible investors.        Though the

Applicant is not named in the F.I.R., however the investigation conducted

thereafter had revealed the role of the present Applicant to be one of the

associates of the main accused Ashutosh.       The main accused Ashutosh is

already arrested and behind bars.          The custodial interrogation of the

Applicant is thus necessary to complete the investigation from all angles.

4.    I have gone through the investigation papers made available by the

learned A.P.P. and the Affidavit filed by the prosecution in the present case.

The perusal of the F.I.R. does not reveal the role of the present Applicant in

inducing either the complainant or any other investor. The Applicant was

protected by the interim order passed by the learned Sessions Judge vide

order dated 23/09/2025. The interim protection was continued by the order

dated 17/10/2025 passed by this Court.         The Applicant was directed to

attend the Police Station as and when called for by the Investigating Officer.

Learned counsel for the Applicant submits that when the interim order passed

by the learned Sessions Judge was operating, the Applicant has attended the

Police Station and thereafter the Applicant was never called upon. However,


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the Applicant is ready to abide by the condition of attending the Police

Station. The Single Bench of the Principal Seat of the High Court of Bombay

in the case of Nilesh Ramrao Shelke v. State of Maharashtra in Anticipatory

Bail Application No.1622 of 2024, decided on 21/06/2024 , was pleased to

observe as under :

       “10. But, it is significant to note that in the present case, the
       applicant in Anticipatory Bail Application No.1622 of 2024, is a
       lady and she is the wife of the applicant in the other Anticipatory
       Bail Application. At present, it appears that the material against
       her is that the loan amounts were siphoned off and credited in her
       account and that on a few occasions, such amounts were
       transferred from her account to that of her husband i.e. accused
       no.2. Other than being the alleged beneficiary of such ill-gotten
       money, at this stage, it does not appear that the said applicant was
       involved in the conspiracy or that she was the brain behind the
       modus operandi for duping the informant. It appears that the
       accused No.2 i.e. her husband alongwith accused No.1, had
       undertaken the aforesaid activity. Therefore, on this sole ground, it
       would be appropriate to grant relief to accused No.3-Jayshree
       Nilesh Shelke, while rejecting the application of her husband i.e.
       accused No.2-Nilesh Ramrao Shelke.”



5.    Thus, taking into consideration that the Applicant was already

protected by the interim order passed by this Court and there are no direct

allegations against the Applicant, the Applicant is not having any criminal


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                        antecedents and is ready to abide by any conditions, I am inclined to pass the

                        following order :-

                                                               ORDER

                               i.     The Application is allowed.
                               ii.    The interim order dated 17/10/2025 is hereby confirmed.
                                      However, subject to additional conditions that the Applicant -
                                      Priti Wilson Shinde shall attend the concerned Police Station
                                      and report to the Investigating Officer on 1 st and 15th of every
                                      month, till framing of the charge by the learned trial Court.
                               iii.   The Applicant shall also cooperate with the investigation.
                               iv.    The Applicant shall not pressurize the prosecution witnesses
                                      and shall not tamper with the prosecution evidence, in any
                                      manner.
                               v.     The Applicant shall submit his Aadhar Card and Pan Card to the
                                      Investigating Officer along with mobile numbers and addresses
                                      of two of his near relatives.
                               vi.    The Applicant shall not leave the country without leave of the
                                      trial Court and shall surrender his passport to the Investigating
                                      Officer.
                        6.    Needless to say, a single violation of any of the conditions imposed by

                        this Court shall entitle the prosecution and the complainant to seek

                        cancellation of bail of the present Applicant.

                        7.    The Application stands disposed of accordingly.

           Digitally signed
           by OMKAR
           SHIVAHAR
OMKAR      KUMBHAKARN
SHIVAHAR                                                       [ MEHROZ K. PATHAN, J. ]
KUMBHAKARN Date:
           2026.06.29
           19:10:48
           +0530



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