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High Court of Gujarat

ANIRUDDHSINH GABHAJI SOLANKIversusSTATE OF GUJARAT

Disposal
38-RULE ABSOLUTE/ALLOWED @ FH

Holding

The Court allowed the application and granted regular bail with conditions.

Summary

The applicant sought regular bail under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for alleged offences under Sections 316(4) and 54 of the same Act, relating to alleged misappropriation of Rs.85 lakh. The State opposed bail, arguing the accused had stolen the amount. The Court examined factors such as the completion of substantial investigation, absence of life or death penalty, lack of prior criminal record, and the principle that bail is the rule and jail the exception. Relying on Supreme Court precedents (Sanjay Chandra v. CBI and Gudikanti Narasimhulu v. Public Prosecutor), the Court held that pre‑trial detention would amount to a de facto conviction. Consequently, the Court granted regular bail on a personal bond of Rs.25,000 with a surety and imposed standard conditions, directing the applicant to comply with reporting and non‑interference requirements.

Issues considered

  • Whether regular bail can be granted under Section 483 BNSS before the filing of a chargesheet for offences under Sections 316(4) and 54 BNSS.
  • Whether the nature of the alleged offence, the status of investigation, and the accused's personal circumstances justify the grant of bail.
  • Whether the conditions imposed are sufficient to safeguard the trial process and public interest.

Legislation cited

Subjects

regular bailpre‑trial detentionpersonal libertySection 483 BNSScriminal procedureGujarat

Judgment

    R/CR.MA/18506/2026                                ORDER DATED: 11/08/2026




            IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD

   R/CRIMINAL MISC.APPLICATION (FOR REGULAR BAIL - BEFORE
               CHARGESHEET) NO. 18506 of 2026
==========================================================
                         ANIRUDDHSINH GABHAJI SOLANKI
                                     Versus
                               STATE OF GUJARAT
==========================================================
Appearance:
MR. DHRUVIN U MEHTA(9993) for the Applicant(s) No. 1
MR ADITYA JADEJA, APP for the Respondent(s) No. 1
==========================================================
 CORAM:HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE HASMUKH D. SUTHAR

                                Date : 11/08/2026

                                    ORDER

[1.0] RULE. Learned APP waives service of rule for the respondent-State.

[2.0] The present application is "led under Section 483 of the Bharatiya
Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short “BNSS”) for regular bail in
connection with FIR being C.R. No. 11191026260113 of 2026 registered
with Kalupur Police Station, Ahmedabad City, for the o1ences under
Sections 316(4) and 54 of the BNS.

[3.0] Learned advocate appearing on behalf of the applicant submits that
the applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the o1ence.
Substantial part of investigation is over. Nothing is required to be recovered
or discovered. Allegation against the applicant is that the applicant and co-
accused were working in Angadiya Firm namely Mahendra Pravinbhai &
Company and :ed away with an amount of Rs.85 lacs and subsequently
purchased one creta car. Later on, they were apprehended by Punjab Police
and muddamal has been seized by Income Tax Department. He has no past
antecedent. He therefore submits that, considering the nature of the
o1ence, the applicant may be enlarged on regular bail by imposing suitable
conditions.

[4.0] Learned APP appearing on behalf of the respondent-State has opposed
the present application and requested to dismiss the present application for


                                    Page 1 of 4
   R/CR.MA/18506/2026                                      ORDER DATED: 11/08/2026




regular bail on the ground that the applicant and co-accused :ed away with
cash of Rs.85 lacs of one Angadiya Firm and thereby committed theft.
Therefore, present application does not deserve consideration.

[5.0] While granting bail, the Court has to consider the involvement of the
accused in the alleged o1ence, the jurisdiction to grant bail has to be
exercised on the basis of the well settled principles having regard to the
facts and circumstances of each case and the following factors are to be
taken into consideration while considering an application for bail: (i) the
nature of accusation and the severity of the punishment and the nature of
the materials relied upon by the prosecution; (ii) reasonable apprehension
of tampering with the witnesses and threat to the complainant or the
witnesses; (iii) reasonable possibility of securing the presence of the
accused at the time of trial or the likelihood of his abscondence; (iv)
character behaviour and standing of the accused and the circumstances
which are peculiar to the accused; (v) larger interest of the public or the
State and similar other considerations are required to be considered.

[6.0] I have heard the learned advocates appearing on behalf of the
respective parties and perused the investigation papers. Following aspects
have been considered:
      (1)     Substantial part of investigation is over;
      (2)     None of the o1ence alleged is punishable with life sentence or
              death penalty ;
      (3)     Applicant is behind the bar since 07.07.2026;
      (4)     Recovery is already made and now there is nothing to be
              further recovered or discovered from the applicant;
      (5)     O1ence is triable by JMFC Court.
      (6)     Obviously commencement and conclusion of trial will take
              its own time.
      (7)     He has no past antecedent.




                                   Page 2 of 4
    R/CR.MA/18506/2026                                  ORDER DATED: 11/08/2026




[7.0] This Court has also taken into consideration the law laid down by the
Hon'ble Apex Court in the case of Sanjay Chandra vs. Central Bureau of
Investigation reported in [2012]1 SCC 40 as well as in the case of
Gudikanti Narasimhulu And Ors vs. Public Prosecutor, High Court of
Andhra Pradesh reported in (1978)1 SCC 240. Obviously, the conclusion of
trial will take time and keeping the accused behind the bars is nothing but
amounts to pre-trial conviction and therefore, considering the celebrated
principle of bail jurisprudence is that “bail is a rule and jail is exception” as
well as the concept of personal liberty guaranteed under Article 21 of the
Constitution of India, present application deserves consideration.

[8.0] In the facts and circumstances of the case and considering the nature
of the allegations made against the applicant in the FIR, without discussing
the evidence in detail, prima facie, this Court is of the opinion that this is a
"t case to exercise the discretion and enlarge the applicant on regular bail.
Hence, the present application is allowed. The applicant is ordered to be
released on regular bail in connection with FIR being C.R. No.
11191026260113 of 2026 registered with Kalupur Police Station,
Ahmedabad City, on executing a personal bond of Rs.25,000/- (Rupees
Twenty-"ve Thousand only) with one surety of the like amount to the
satisfaction of the trial Court and subject to the conditions that he/she shall;
   (a)     not take undue advantage of liberty or misuse liberty;
   (b)     not act in a manner injurious to the interest of the prosecution &
           shall not obstruct or hamper the police investigation and shall not
           to play mischief with the evidence collected or yet to be collected
           by the police;
   (c)     surrender passport, if any, to the Trial Court within a week;
   (d)     not leave the State of Gujarat without prior permission of the Trial
           Court concerned;
   (e)     mark presence before the concerned Police Station once in a week
           till "ling of the chargesheet and after "ling of the chargesheet,
           mark presence before the concerned police station once in a



                                    Page 3 of 4
       R/CR.MA/18506/2026                                                           ORDER DATED: 11/08/2026




                 month for a period of six months;
      (f)        furnish the Aadhaar card, email ID/present address of his
                 residence to the Investigating OJcer and also to the Court at the
                 time of execution of the bond and shall not change the
                 residence/contact number without prior permission of Trial
                 Court;
      (g)        not to indulge in any illegal activity failing which learned trial
                 Court shall issue warrant and cancel the bail of the applicant.

 [9.0] The authorities will release the applicant only if he is not required in
 connection with any other o1ence for the time being. If breach of any of the
 above conditions is committed, the Sessions Judge concerned will be free to
 issue warrant or take appropriate action in the matter.

 [10.0] Bail bond to be executed before the lower Court having jurisdiction to
 try the case. It will be open for the concerned Court to delete, modify
 and/or relax any of the above conditions, in accordance with law.

 [11.0] At the trial, the trial Court shall not be in:uenced by the observations
 of preliminary nature qua the evidence at this stage made by this Court
 while enlarging the applicant on bail.
 [12.0] Rule is made absolute to the aforesaid extent. Direct service is
 permitted.




                                                                              (HASMUKH D. SUTHAR,J)


 SUCHIT




Original copy of this order has been signed by the Hon'ble Judge.
Digitally signed by: PATEL SUCHIT JAYESHBHAI(HC01083),  Page 4Private
                                                                of 4 Secretary, at High Court of Gujarat on 11/08/2026 14:32:57


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