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High Court of Gujarat

JAVERBHAI MERUBHAI KANANIversusSTATE OF GUJARAT

Disposal
38-RULE ABSOLUTE/ALLOWED @ FH

Holding

The Court held that anticipatory bail should be granted, subject to strict conditions, as the petitioners have no prior antecedents and have assured cooperation with the investigation.

Summary

The petitioners Javerbhai Merubhai Kanani & ors. applied for anticipatory bail under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, in connection with an FIR (C.R. No.11192019260100 of 2026) alleging forgery and related offences under IPC sections 465, 467, 468, 471 and 120(B). The State opposed the bail on the grounds of the seriousness of the offences. The Court examined the nature and gravity of the allegations, the petitioners' clean antecedent record, and the assurance that they would not flee or obstruct investigation. Relying on precedents such as Siddharam Satlingappa Mhetre v. State of Maharashtra, Gurubaksh Singh Sibbia & Others, and Sushila Aggarwal v. State (NCT of Delhi), the Court found no sufficient reason to deny bail. Consequently, the Court granted anticipatory bail subject to a personal bond of Rs.10,000 with a surety and a series of conditions to ensure cooperation with the investigation.

Issues considered

  • Whether anticipatory bail can be granted under Section 482 of the BNSS for offences punishable under IPC sections 465, 467, 468, 471 and 120(B).
  • Whether the nature and gravity of the alleged forgery offences, together with the petitioners' antecedents, warrant denial of bail.
  • Whether the petitioners pose a flight risk or a risk of tampering with evidence or influencing witnesses.

Legislation cited

Subjects

anticipatory bailSection 482 BNSSforgery offencesIndian Penal Codebail conditionsGujarat High Court

Judgment

     R/CR.MA/11897/2026                                         ORDER DATED: 02/07/2026




             IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD

R/CRIMINAL MISC.APPLICATION (FOR ANTICIPATORY BAIL) NO. 11897
                           of 2026

==========================================================
                     JAVERBHAI MERUBHAI KANANI & ORS.
                                  Versus
                            STATE OF GUJARAT
==========================================================
Appearance:
MR KUSHLENDRASINH R JHALA(12714) for the Applicant(s) No. 1,2,3
MR. RONAK RAVAL, APP for the Respondent(s) No. 1
==========================================================

 CORAM:HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE SANJEEV J.THAKER

                                 Date : 02/07/2026

                                  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.

11192019260100            of   2026,     registered           with    Dholera      Police

Station,        District:      Ahmedabad             Rural,     for     the      offences

punishable under Sections 465, 467. 468, 471 and 120(B) of

the Indian Penal Code.


2.      Rule.         Learned    Additional           Public     Prosecutor       waives

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

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


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      R/CR.MA/11897/2026                                           ORDER DATED: 02/07/2026




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

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



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      R/CR.MA/11897/2026                                         ORDER DATED: 02/07/2026




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)       that the alleged forged document is of the year 1992,

and it is the case of the complainant that the fraudulent

entry pursuant to the details that has been given by the

applicant is given to the revenue authorities.

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.

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.




                                          Page 3 of 5
     R/CR.MA/11897/2026                                          ORDER DATED: 02/07/2026




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

        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 09.07.2026 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;



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       R/CR.MA/11897/2026                                                     ORDER DATED: 02/07/2026




           (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.

 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)
 ADITYA SINGH

Original copy of this order has been signed by the Hon'ble Judge.
Digitally signed by: ADITYA SINGH(HC02376), ENGLISH STENO GRADE-II\, at High Court of Gujarat on 02/07/2026 17:33:24




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