Bombay High Court

AMBADAS ABAJI MANKAPEversusTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA

Disposal: DISPOSED OFF
Bench: ABHAY S WAGHWASE

Holding

Bail was granted to the applicant in both Crime No. 644/2023 and Crime No. 30/2024.

Summary

Ambadas, an 86‑year‑old accused, applied for regular bail in two separate FIRs (Crime No. 644/2023 and Crime No. 30/2024) involving a range of IPC offences, the Maharashtra Protection of Interest of Depositors Act and the Bailing of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Act. He argued that the offences arose from a single transaction and that co‑accused and the Supreme Court had already granted bail in related cases, invoking parity and his advanced age. The State opposed bail on the ground of the seriousness of the economic offences but acknowledged the earlier bail grants. The Court examined the parity argument, the applicant’s age, and the precedent of bail to co‑accused, and found no justification to deny bail. Consequently, the Court allowed both bail applications, directing the applicant to furnish a personal bond of Rs 50,000 with one surety for each case and imposing standard bail conditions.

Issues considered

The applicability of parity in granting bail when multiple FIRs stem from the same transaction.
Whether the applicant’s advanced age and prior bail to co‑accused justify bail in serious economic offences.
Whether the seriousness of the offences under the IPC, MPID Act and Bailing of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Act warrants denial of bail.

Legislation cited

Bailing of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Act, 2019 — s. 21, 23
Indian Penal Code, 1860 — s. 120-B, 34, 406, 408, 409, 420, 467, 468, 471
Maharashtra Protection of Interest of Depositors (in Financial Establishments) Act, 1999 — s. 3, 4

Subjects

bail
parity
economic offences
IPC
MPID Act
elderly accused
bail conditions
Supreme Court precedent

Judgment

2026:BHC-AUG:28956


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                                                  -1-

                         IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
                                    BENCH AT AURANGABAD

                                BAIL APPLICATION NO. 2457 OF 2025

                 Ambadas s/o Abaji Mankape                         .. Applicant

                       Versus

                 The State of Maharashtra
                 Through the Police Station, CIDCO,
                 Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.                        .. Respondent

                                               AND
                                BAIL APPLICATION NO. 2459 OF 2025

                 Ambadas s/o Abaji Mankape                         .. Applicant

                       Versus

                 The State of Maharashtra
                 Through the Police Station, CIDCO,
                 Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar                         .. Respondent

                                                   …..
                 Mr. Satej Jadhav, Advocate h/f Mr. Amit T. Ghute, Advocate for the
                 Applicant in both the applications.
                 Mrs. Ashlesha S. Deshmukh, APP for Respondent-State in both the
                 applications.
                                                   .....

                                         CORAM :        ABHAY S. WAGHWASE, J.
                                         Reserved on         : 16.07.2026
                                         Pronounced on       : 17.07.2026

                 ORDER :-

                 1.    Vide instant applications, applicant is seeking grant of regular

                 bail on account of his arrest in Crime No.644 of 2023 registered at

                 CIDCO Police Station, District Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar for offences
                                        BA-2457-2025 AND BA-2459-2025
                                  -2-

punishable under Sections 406, 408, 409, 420, 467, 468, 471, 120-B

read with Section 34 of Indian Penal Code as well as in Crime No.30

of 2024 registered at M.I.D.C. CIDCO Police Station, District

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar for offence punishable under Sections

406, 408, 409, 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, 120-B, read with Section 34

of Indian Penal Code, under Sections 3, 4 of the Maharashtra

Protection of Interest of Depositors (in Financial Establishments) Act,

1999 (MPID Act) and under Sections 21, 23 of Bailing of Unregulated

Deposit Schemes Act, 2019.


2.    Learned counsel, at the outset pointed out that present

applications are pressed into service primarily on the ground of parity.

According to him, five crimes are off-shoots of one single transaction.

That both instant applications are in two distinct FIRs, but arising out

of same transaction. He pointed out that, applicant is 86 years of age.

He further pointed out that, the Hon’ble Apex Court has granted bail

to the applicant in crime nos. 454/2023 and 455/2023 registered at

CIDCO Police Station for identical offence by common order dated

10.04.2026. That, even applicant is beneficiary of bail at the hands of

learned Sessions Court in FIR No. 261/2023 in Bail Application No.

486 of 2026. Applicant seeks similar treatment in instant FIR Nos.

644/2023 and 30/2024.
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                                  -3-




3.      Learned counsel pointed out that, there are in all 12 accused

persons in Crime no. 644/2023 dated 26.09.2023. He further pointed

out that co-accused nos. 2 and 4 are granted bail by this Court vide

order dated 30.08.2024 in Bail Application No. 1009/2024 ; whereas

accused no.5 is granted bail in Bail Application No. 1962 of 2025 by

order dated 04.12.2025; and accused no.7 is also beneficiary of bail

vide order dated 19.12.2024 passed in in Bail Application No. 1679 of

2024.



4.      As regards to FIR No. 30/2024 is concerned, he pointed out

that amongst 20 accused, accused nos. 2, 3, 5 and 6 are already

granted bail by this Court by orders dated 26.08.2024, 16.12.2024,

04.12.2025 and 21.10.2024 respectively.



        For above reasons, bail in crime nos. 644/2023 and 30/2024 is

also urged for.



5.      Learned APP opposed on the ground that serious economic

offence is committed. However, she fairly admitted the above position

regarding grant of bail to co-accused persons as well as present

applicant, i.e. by the Hon’ble Supreme Court as well as this Court.
                                             BA-2457-2025 AND BA-2459-2025
                                      -4-




6.     Therefore, when it is demonstrated that, in three crimes arising

out of same transactions, applicant is beneficiary of bail by Hon’ble

Apex Court in two FIRs, and by learned Sessions Court in another FIR,

primarily considering the age of the applicant, and when chargesheet

is filed, there is no reason to refuse relief on the ground of parity.

Hence, I proceed to pass the following order :

                                     ORDER

I.     Both the applications are allowed.


II.    Applicant Ambadas Abaji Mankape, be released on bail in
connection with both crimes, i.e. Crime No.644 of 2023 registered at
CIDCO Police Station, District Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar as well as
Crime No.30 of 2024 registered at M.I.D.C. CIDCO Police Station,
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, on executing Personal Bond of Rs.
50,000/- in each crime with one surety in the like amount in each
crime, on the following conditions :


[a] The applicants shall not tamper prosecution evidence.


[b] The applicants shall place on record of the trial court the details
      of his contact number/s and residential address with updates in
      case of any change.


[c] The applicants shall regularly attend each and every effective
      date before the trial court.
                                        BA-2457-2025 AND BA-2459-2025
                                  -5-

III.   Needless to say, in case of violation of any of the aforesaid
conditions, the bail granted to the applicant shall be liable to be
cancelled. It is also clarified that the observations made in this order
are limited to the disposal of the present bail applications. The
concerned court shall proceed further in the matter without being
influenced by the observations made hereinabove.


IV.    Both the applications are accordingly disposed off.



                                           [ABHAY S. WAGHWASE, J.]
vre

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