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Bombay High Court

ASHOK TUKARAM SHINDEversusTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA AND ANR

Decided
Disposal
Disposed Off

Holding

The applicants are permitted to operate their private bank accounts and the condition of furnishing a solvent surety is quashed.

Summary

The Additional Sessions Judge, Navi Mumbai, had ordered that the accused’s private bank accounts remain frozen but allowed them to operate the accounts upon furnishing a solvent surety equal to the alleged misappropriation amount. The accused filed criminal revision applications contending that the accounts were private, unrelated to the crime, and that they had undertaken to re‑deposit any withdrawn sums if directed by the trial court. The State opposed the revisions, citing the ongoing investigation and the large withdrawals made after the accounts were defrosted. Justice Shivkumar Dige held that the applicants’ undertaking was sufficient to permit operation of the accounts and that imposing a solvent‑surety condition was unnecessary. Accordingly, the revision applications were allowed, the applicants were permitted to operate their private accounts, the surety condition was quashed, and they were directed to re‑deposit withdrawn amounts if the trial court so orders, with a warning of attachment for non‑compliance.

Issues considered

  • Whether the accused’s private bank accounts frozen during investigation can be operated pending trial.
  • Whether the condition of furnishing a solvent surety is valid in the circumstances.
  • Whether the applicants must re‑deposit amounts withdrawn from the accounts if directed by the trial court.

Subjects

  • bank account freezing
  • criminal revision
  • solvent surety
  • re‑deposit undertaking
  • property attachment
  • misappropriation
  • investigating officer

Judgment

                                                                        902- Revn 293 of 2026.doc


                   Tikam


                                     IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
                                           CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

                                    CRIMINAL REVISION APPLICATION NO. 293 OF 2026
VAISHALI
ANIL                       Aparna Ashok Shinde                             ...Applicant
TIKAM
                                      Vs.
Digitally signed           The State of Maharashtra and Ors.               ...Respondents
by VAISHALI
ANIL TIKAM
Date:
2026.09.08                                              WITH
11:17:55 +0530
                                    CRIMINAL REVISION APPLICATION NO. 294 OF 2026

                           Ashok Dnyanoba Tupe                             ...Applicant
                                      Vs.
                           The State of Maharashtra and Ors.               ...Respondents

                                                        WITH
                                    CRIMINAL REVISION APPLICATION NO. 295 OF 2026

                           Vasant Khashaba Chavan                          ...Applicant
                                      Vs.
                           The State of Maharashtra and Ors.               ...Respondents

                                                        WITH
                                    CRIMINAL REVISION APPLICATION NO. 299 OF 2026

                           Ashok Tukaram Shinde                            ...Applicant
                                      Vs.
                           The State of Maharashtra and Anr.               ...Respondents
                                                       WITH
                                    CRIMINAL REVISION APPLICATION NO. 298 OF 2026

                           Shivaji Ramchandra Varude                       ...Applicant
                                      Vs.
                           The State of Maharashtra and Ors.               ...Respondents

                                                        WITH
                                    CRIMINAL REVISION APPLICATION NO. 297 OF 2026

                           Baban Eknath Kate                               ...Applicant
                                    Vs.


                                                          Page 1 of 4
                                                           902- Revn 293 of 2026.doc


Tikam

        The State of Maharashtra and Ors.                     ...Respondents

                                      WITH
                  CRIMINAL REVISION APPLICATION NO. 296 OF 2026

        Pandurang Vitthal Ghadge                              ...Applicant
                   Vs.
        The State of Maharashtra
        and Ors.                                              ...Respondents

        _______________________________________________________________


        Mr. Amogh Singh i/by Shyam Birje, Advocate for Applicants in all matters.
        Mr. Sameer Mangaonkar, APP for Respondent-State.
        Mr. Sumedh Modak a/w. Shekar Mane a/w Mr. Rahul Vijaymane a/w.
        Rutik Kashid , Advocate for Respondent Nos. 2 and 4
        Mr. Veerdhaval Kakade i/by Prabhakar Jadhav, Advocate for Respondent
        No.3.
        API V.D. Jadhav, EOW -3 Navi Mumbai.

        _________________________________________________________________

                                            CORAM     :   SHIVKUMAR DIGE, J.
                                            DATE      :   28th AUGUST, 2026.
        P.C. :

        1.        Heard learned counsel for the Applicants, learned APP and

        learned counsel for Respondent Nos. 2 and 4 and Respondent No.3.

        2.        The challenge in these applications is to the impugned order

        passed by the Additional Sessions Judge, Navi Mumbai dated 02/02/2026

        whereby the Learned Judge has permitted the Applicants to operate bank

        accounts but directed to execute solvent surety equivalent to the alleged

        amount.

        3.        It is contention of learned counsel for the Applicant that

                                       Page 2 of 4
                                                             902- Revn 293 of 2026.doc


Tikam

        Applicants' accounts are freezed in connection with the crime.      The said

        bank accounts have no connection with the crime. These bank accounts

        are private accounts of the Applicants. Applicants have filed undertaking,

        stating that if required, Applicants will re-deposit the amounts, which are

        withdrawn from the said bank accounts and requested to allow the

        Applications.

        4.         Learned counsel for Respondent Nos. 2 and 4          has strongly

        objected to allow the applications on the ground that offence is registered

        against the Applicants and co-accused for misappropriation of the amount

        of Shivkrupa Sahakari Pathpedhi Ltd. Learned counsel further submitted

        that   as on 05/09/2024, the total balance in the frozen account was

        Rs.1,77,60,341.91. It was further submitted that after the accounts were

        de-frozen pursuant to the order dated 13/09/2024 passed by the

        Additional Registrar, the Applicant withdrawn Rs.1,43,85,767/- from the

        said accounts.    Hence, requested to reject the applications. He further

        submitted that the investigation is going on/ in progress.

        5.         I have heard all learned counsel.          The Applicants and

        Respondents both have challenged the impugned order. Admittedly, the

        bank accounts     frozen by the Investigating Officer are      private bank

        accounts of the Applicants.    The Applicants have filed an undertaking

        stating that the amount withdrawn from the bank accounts shall be re-



                                         Page 3 of 4
                                                              902- Revn 293 of 2026.doc


Tikam

        deposited if the Trial Court finds that the said amount is required to be re-

        deposited. The fraud amount is Rs.6,83,52,917/-. As Applicants have filed

        an undertaking to re-deposit the amount withdrawn by them, the

        Applicants cannot be denied to operate their private bank accounts and in

        view of the undertaking of the Applicants, I pass following order:

                                           ORDER

        (i)          Criminal Revision Applications are allowed.

        (ii)         The Applicants are permitted to operate the private bank

        accounts.

        (iii)        The Applicants shall re-deposit the amount withdrawn by the

        Applicants in accordance with their undertaking if directed by the Trial

        Court.

        (iv)         The Applicants are also be directed that if they fail to re-

        deposit the amount as directed by the Trial Court, their property shall be

        liable to be attached.

        (v)          The condition requiring solvent surety is hereby quashed and

        set aside.

        (vi)         Revision Applications are accordingly disposed of.




                                                        (SHIVKUMAR DIGE, J.)



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