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High Court of Gujarat

JIMMY SATISHBHAI ASIJAversusSTATE OF GUJARAT

Disposal
38-RULE ABSOLUTE/ALLOWED @ FH

Holding

The Court held that anticipatory bail must be granted as the applicant demonstrated cooperation, no flight risk, and the allegations did not warrant denial of bail.

Summary

The applicant, Jimmy Satishbhai Asija, 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 IPC sections 409, 386, 120B and the Gujarat Money Lenders Act. The State opposed the bail, citing the gravity of the alleged offences. The Court examined factors such as the nature of the allegations, the applicant's cooperation with police, the absence of any flight risk, and the existence of a registered sale deed versus a later MOU. Relying on precedents including Siddharam Satlingappa Mhetre v. State of Maharashtra, Shri Gurubaksh Singh Sibbia & Others, and Sushila Aggarwal v. State (NCT of Delhi), the Court concluded that anticipatory bail was appropriate. Accordingly, the Court granted anticipatory bail on a personal bond of Rs.10,000 with a surety of equal amount, subject to detailed conditions ensuring the applicant’s cooperation and non‑interference with the investigation.

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 from justice or tampering with evidence.
  • Whether the conditions imposed can sufficiently safeguard the investigation while protecting the applicant’s liberty.

Legislation cited

Subjects

anticipatory bailSection 482 BNSSflight riskcooperation with investigationbail conditionsmoney lenders actIPC offences

Judgment

     R/CR.MA/10385/2026                                    ORDER DATED: 04/08/2026




             IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD

R/CRIMINAL MISC.APPLICATION (FOR ANTICIPATORY BAIL) NO. 10385
                           of 2026

==========================================================
                            JIMMY SATISHBHAI ASIJA
                                     Versus
                               STATE OF GUJARAT
==========================================================
Appearance:
MR ND NANAVATI, SENIOR ADVOCATE WITH MR RUTURAJ
NANAVATI(5624) WITH MR HARSHIL G BHAVSAR(11263) for the
Applicant(s) No. 1
MR RAMNANDAN SINGH(1126) for the Respondent(s) No. 1
MR RONAK RAVAL, APP for the Respondent(s) No. 1
==========================================================

 CORAM:HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE SANJEEV J.THAKER

                                Date : 04/08/2026

                                 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.

11191011260029 of 2026, registered with DCB Police Station,

District: Ahmedabad City for the offences punishable under

Sections 409, 386 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code and

Sections 5, 40, 42(a), 42(d) and 42(e) of the Gujarat Money

Lenders Act.



2.      Rule.         Learned   Additional        Public   Prosecutor         waives

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




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      R/CR.MA/10385/2026                                           ORDER DATED: 04/08/2026




3.       Learned advocate for the applicant submits that the

nature of allegations are such that custodial interrogation at

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



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      R/CR.MA/10385/2026                                ORDER DATED: 04/08/2026




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

including the fact as to whether he has previously undergone

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 role attributed to the present applicant is that the

present applicant is stated to have purchased the property in

dispute by registered sale deed;
b) the allegation attributed to the present applicant is that

he has not complied with the MOU and that the entire

transaction was for security and it was not a sale deed;

c) this Court has taken into consideration the statement

given by the applicant before the police on 08.05.2026 and

the      fact     that     the   applicant     has   cooperated      with         the

investigation;

d) moreover, the MOU is dated 06.01.2022 which is after the

sale deed that has been executed on 23.03.2021;

e) the fact remains that the sale deed does not state that



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      R/CR.MA/10385/2026                                       ORDER DATED: 04/08/2026




the said amount stated as sale consideration was given as

security;

f)       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
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



                                          Page 4 of 6
R/CR.MA/10385/2026                                           ORDER DATED: 04/08/2026




   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 11.08.2026 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

   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



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        R/CR.MA/10385/2026                                                                   ORDER DATED: 04/08/2026




             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.



  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)
  SRILATHA


Original copy of this order has been signed by the Hon'ble Judge.
Digitally signed by: SRILATHA VENKATARAO UPADHYAYULA(HC00185), PRINCIPAL PRIVATE SECRETARY, at High Court of Gujarat on 04/08/2026 17:19:27




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