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High Court of Gujarat

PARASHKUMAR HARGOVANBHAI PATELversusSTATE OF GUJARAT

Disposal
38-RULE ABSOLUTE/ALLOWED @ FH

Holding

The Court allowed the anticipatory bail application, granting bail on personal bond with conditions.

Summary

The petitioner, Parashkumar Hargovanhbai Patel, a jaggery shopkeeper, was implicated in an FIR alleging supply of rotten jaggery and offences under the Prohibition Act and sections 111(3) and 111(4) of the Bharatiya Nayay Sanhita. He filed an anticipatory bail application under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, asserting no flight risk and willingness to cooperate. The State opposed bail, citing the seriousness of the offences. The Court examined the nature of the allegations, the applicant’s clean antecedent, and the possibility of flight, referring to Supreme Court precedents on bail. Finding no substantial reason to deny bail, the Court granted anticipatory bail with a personal bond of Rs.10,000 and a set of conditions, while preserving the police’s right to seek arrest for any breach.

Issues considered

  • What is the appropriate exercise of discretion under Section 482 of the BNSS in granting anticipatory bail in a case involving alleged food adulteration and related offences?
  • Does the nature and gravity of the alleged offences, the applicant’s antecedents, and the risk of flight justify denial of anticipatory bail?

Legislation cited

Subjects

anticipatory bailSection 482 BNSSfood adulterationProhibition Actflight riskbail conditionscriminal procedure

Judgment

      R/CR.MA/18819/2026                                         ORDER DATED: 13/08/2026




              IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD

R/CRIMINAL MISC.APPLICATION (FOR ANTICIPATORY BAIL) NO. 18819
                           of 2026

==========================================================
                     PARASHKUMAR HARGOVANBHAI PATEL
                                  Versus
                            STATE OF GUJARAT
==========================================================
Appearance:
MR NITINBHAI M DESAI(13406) for the Applicant(s) No. 1
MR.KIRIT R CHAUDHARI(3745) for the Applicant(s) No. 1
MS JIRGA JHAVERI, APP for the Respondent(s) No. 1
==========================================================

 CORAM:HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE SANJEEV J.THAKER

                                   Date : 13/08/2026

                                    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.

11206073260372             of   2026     registered       with        Vadnagar      Police

Station, District: Mehsana for the offences punishable under

Sections65-A, 65(f), 65(e), 81, 83 and 98(2) of the Prohibition

Act      and     Sections       111(3)    and      111(4)       of    Bhartiya      Nayay

Sanhita 2023.



2.       Rule.         Learned     Additional          Public        Prosecutor     waives

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



                                         Page 1 of 6
      R/CR.MA/18819/2026                                           ORDER DATED: 13/08/2026




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



                                            Page 2 of 6
      R/CR.MA/18819/2026                                        ORDER DATED: 13/08/2026




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

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     applicant        is    a    shopkeeper      and     sell   jaggery       in

wholesale as well as retails at open market place and it is

alleged that the rotten jaggery has been supplied to the co-

accused by the applicant;



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



                                             Page 3 of 6
     R/CR.MA/18819/2026                                     ORDER DATED: 13/08/2026




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

        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;



                                      Page 4 of 6
R/CR.MA/18819/2026                                          ORDER DATED: 13/08/2026




   (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 20.8.2026 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

   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.




                                  Page 5 of 6
        R/CR.MA/18819/2026                                                     ORDER DATED: 13/08/2026




  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)
  H.M. PATHAN




Original copy of this order has been signed by the Hon'ble Judge.
Digitally signed by: HABIBULLAKHAN MOHAMMADKHAN PATHAN(HC00167), GOV, at High Court of Gujarat on 13/08/2026 18:05:59




                                                   Page 6 of 6


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