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2013 DIGILAW 2105 (BOM)

Sandeep P. Jain v. State of Maharashtra

2013-10-09

A.H.JOSHI

body2013
JUDGMENT : 1. Heard. 2. Crime No.49 of 2013 is registered with E.O.W., Crime Branch, C.I.D., Mumbai. The investigation has proceeded and even charge-sheet is filed against one amongst the accused, namely, Khaled Kazi. The offence is registered against him under sections 419, 420, 463, 465, 467, 468, 471, 120B of IPC., and the crime is under further investigation under section 173(8) of Code of Criminal Procedure. 3. Present applicant is named as accused. On the basis of said further investigation, the applicant apprehends arrest and hence applied for anticipatory bail before the Sessions Court. 4. The anticipatory bail application No.1069 of 2013 filed in Sessions Court was rejected by the Sessions Court and after the order was passed by this court, the second anticipatory bail application No.1306 of 2013 was heard by the learned Sessions Court and the same has also been rejected. 5. The applicant has approached this court through this application for anticipatory bail. 6. Background in which the commission of offence has been alleged against the present applicant is as follows:- (a) The applicant and arrested accused Khaled Kazi, who was incharge of I.T. Department of the Cricket Club of India at Mumbai have conspired commission of various offences. (b) The applicant and said Khaled Kazi enrolled 11 members of the Cricket Club of India by committing forgery in the record of the computerised data in the process had introduced new software for the membership related affairs of the Cricket Club of India. (c) While transferring the data in the new software, the accused Khaled Kazi has used unallotted membership number to members who were recorded by commission of offence. (d) Khaled Kazi also by said forgery caused deletion of names of the members who had died and used numbers alloted to those members for recording names of members to various persons. (e) The number of new persons enrolled by use of forgery is said to be eleven. (f) The children of members who had secured entry by fraud and forgery, were then introduced by the applicant for membership in the category of children of existing members. (g) On the basis of said membership recorded by virtue of forgery of computerised record even some of children of members who were inducted by use of forgery have also secured membership and thereby the fraud is further perpetrated. (g) On the basis of said membership recorded by virtue of forgery of computerised record even some of children of members who were inducted by use of forgery have also secured membership and thereby the fraud is further perpetrated. (h) The club is cheated in view of loss of huge amount towards membership fee and availment of services which is a special privilege only for members. (i) By virtue of securing the membership card which is a valuable document and it entitles the members to hold membership status, to avail facilities and concessions which newly enrolled members would never have been entitled to, is availed by the members introduced due to act of accused of fraud and forgery. (j) In these premises various offences under various sections of IPC, the FIR has been registered. 7. In support of application for anticipatory bail the learned senior Advocate Mr. Mahesh Jethmalani advanced various submissions which are summarized as follows : (a) The distinction will have to be made between falsifying record or executing a document based on a false claim of title or right which does not exist from an act of forging of any document or forgery of any record, relying on Mohammed Ibrahim and Others Vs. State of Bihar and Anr. (2009) 8 Supreme Court Cases 751. (b) Deletion of names of members and creating a room for recording new member in their vacancy would mean making or deleting entries in record but certainly not fabrication on record. (c) Using unalloted membership number and recording some new members in the new software programme adopted by Cricket Club of India by accused Mr. Khaled Kazi at the instance and behest of present applicant does not amount to creating record, and at the most it may amount to creation of false record. (d) The applicant as well as 11 members who have been enrolled due to or based on said false record have been expelled. (e) Cricket Club of India has not suffered any loss since whatever loss was caused was notional and not actual or factual, since the members even according to Cricket Club of India are not eligible to avail membership. (e) Cricket Club of India has not suffered any loss since whatever loss was caused was notional and not actual or factual, since the members even according to Cricket Club of India are not eligible to avail membership. (f) The use of facilities by those 11 members by use of membership card created by use of alleged forgery cannot constitute cheating since whatever services they may have availed from the club on the basis of the bogus membership cards are not free, rather are on payment of value and hence club is not put to any loss whatsoever and hence element of cheating also does not exists. (g) The main accused, namely, Khaled Kazi is already arrested and though charge-sheet is filed, he is still in jail. (h) The offence under I.T. Act, namely, sections 66 and 77B are punishable only for three years and are bailable. (i) Except section 467 all other offences are bailable, and section 467 does not come into play. (j) The arrest and custodial interrogation cannot be considered to be absolute right of the investigating agency. (k) In the background that the accusations are of simple nature the custodial interrogation will be wholly unnecessary and unreasonable. (l) Moreover, the applicant has offered himself for interrogation soon after he returned from abroad. (m) He is ready to co-operate with investigating agency. (n) Therefore, he is entitled for relief by way of anticipatory bail. 8. Learned Advocate Mr. Satish Maneshinde, who appears for the added respondent – Cricket Club of India, has advanced submissions which are summarized as follows : (a) The membership of Cricket Club of India for public at large is closed and the manner in which the membership was made available to 11 persons by the applicant was certainly by commission of offence. (b) On any new membership, Cricket Club of India has to receive by way of fee etc. a sum around Rs.30 Lakhs. Due to fraudulent inclusion of those eleven members, the club is put to loss of said tune towards each individual enrolled by use of fraud and forgery. (c) While 11 members were enrolled by the accused Khaled Kazi at the instance and conspiracy by the applicant, the club has suffered heavy loss on account of providing to these members, various services apart that the act of the applicant is of fraud and cheating. (c) While 11 members were enrolled by the accused Khaled Kazi at the instance and conspiracy by the applicant, the club has suffered heavy loss on account of providing to these members, various services apart that the act of the applicant is of fraud and cheating. (d) The record of Cricket Club of India which pertained to old members whose record/space in record have been used and many other related records have been destroyed or pilfered by the said accused Khaled Kazi with and/or at the instigation or conspiracy by the present applicant. The said acts are done by the accused apart from acts of forgery in the electronically maintained and/or created records. (e) Deletion of existing records while entering data in the new software relating to the affairs of membership related management of the members of club, cannot be viewed simply as “deletion” of electronic record. Even if deletion is seen as solitary act even then it is done by way of forgery. Moreover, said deletion has been used by inserting names of persons to give membership, and therefore this added act of accused is added to the earlier act of forgery. (f) The use of unallotted number of members and creating record in new software cannot be viewed as innocuous creation of “false record”. These acts constitute acts of forgery. (g) The membership card which entitles to the holder right of entry and access in club premises and to avail various privileges, concessions and facilities appurtenant thereto is liable to be regarded as valuable security as it creates civil rights in favour of the members as against non members, therefore, acquisition and use of a card by fraudulent means constitutes act of forgery of a valuable security. (h) In absence of forgery in the computerized record, issuance of the card which is kept in safe custody of the office of club and its activation could not have occurred. (i) Though punishment for the offence of forgery is of seven years, the gravity may be considered not only from sentence, but from the conspiracy and over all felonious mind, and therefore discretionary relief of anticipatory bail may be rejected. (j) In the event the Investigating Officer considered it necessary, the custody of the applicant may be sought and learned Magistrate would examine need and justifiability thereof. 9. (j) In the event the Investigating Officer considered it necessary, the custody of the applicant may be sought and learned Magistrate would examine need and justifiability thereof. 9. Learned A.P.P. has opposed the relief of anticipatory bail urging that the involvement of the present applicant on what prima facie appears is obvious. 10. The crucial question which would decide fate of the applicant is as to whether alteration, deletion or insertion in computerised record in process of digitalization by using new software by Cricket Club of India done by accused Kazi at the instigation or conspiracy by the present applicant may amount to forgery. 11. The definition of forgery as has been amended is as under: “Forgery : Whoever makes any false documents or false electronic record or part of a document or electronic record, with intent to cause damage or injury, to the public or to any person, or to support any claim or title, or to cause any person to part with property, or to enter into any express or implied contract, or with intent to commit fraud or that fraud may be committed, commits forgery.” 12. It appears that the law as it amended, contemplates and comprehends within definition of forgery, making of false electronic record with intention to cause damage or injury to public or any person or to support any claim, title etc. 13. The objective behind amending the definition of forgery is to comprehend variety of acts is to widen its compass to include in it various acts such as alteration, insertion etc. in computerised record to amount to forgery. 14. The definition of valuable security, would mean legal rights, as well as legal liability. Once it becomes case of “legal liability” enforceable in the court, even in a the dispute interse between parties, the definition of valuable security may not have to be viewed and interpreted to include a document created by forgery when the holder can assert liability of person affected due to the forgery. The acts complained of would fall squarely within compass of offence of forgery as described under section 467 of IPC. 15. While all other offences are provided with lesser punishment, even though the punishment for forgery with intention to cheat is punishable with seven years and when section 467 comes into play the punishment provided is for life imprisonment. The acts complained of would fall squarely within compass of offence of forgery as described under section 467 of IPC. 15. While all other offences are provided with lesser punishment, even though the punishment for forgery with intention to cheat is punishable with seven years and when section 467 comes into play the punishment provided is for life imprisonment. If collective effect of acts is to be seen, this court will have to see as to whether the liberties which the applicant is claiming, would outweigh total effect of the offence committed by him. 16. Perusal of the definition reveals that in contrast with the observations of Hon'ble Supreme Court in judgment referred in Mohammed Ibrahim's case (supra), the distinction between false document and forged document cannot be read on par in regard to false electronic record. 17. After considering rival submissions, it is seen that present applicant has seconded the membership proposals of various applicants and children of three members who were inducted by use of fraudulent act and forgery for which subject matter offence came to be registered. 18. The seconding of three proposals by present applicant cannot be regarded as sheer coincidence. Positive involvement of the applicant alongwith Khaled Kazi. The said introduction only corroborates applicant’s complicity to initial act of forgery as abater and conspirator. 19. Considering involvement of the present applicant and various offences which are committed by him, collective effect is seen to be very serious and need of further investigation is necessary and the investigating officer may choose to have facility of custodial interrogation of the applicant if he decides to have the same. 20. It appears that the documents which are said to be unavailable of which losses is believed to be on account of accused Mr. Kazi and the applicant, would be discoverable only after further investigation is done. 21. In the background of foregoing discussion, and rights of the accused, this court has to examine the entitlement of the applicant to get the relief by way of anticipatory bail. 22. This court is fully aware and alive to the position of right to accused of bail and prevention of arbitrary arrest are akin to fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. 22. This court is fully aware and alive to the position of right to accused of bail and prevention of arbitrary arrest are akin to fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. At the same time this court cannot be oblivious to the power of police to arrest the accused and to continue him in custody for the purpose of investigation with proper authorisation and monitoring by Magistrate, is still the law, and it will have to be noted rather than ignored. 23. In this background in the event of arrest it would be open for the applicant to agitate before the Magistrate justifiably in the event the custody is sought. Therefore, the argument that the custody is not required, can be scrutinised by Magistrate, in the event of arrest and demand by Investigating Officer for custody. On facts these aspects need not be considered at this stage, considering the gravity of the FIR. 24. In the premises of discussion hereinabove recorded this court has arrived to conclusion that the applicant has failed to make out a case for right to anticipatory bail. 25. In the result the application is rejected. 26. Considering that ad-interim relief was in operation, the applicant would be entitled to avail the same till 21st October, 2013. The applicant is free to surrender before the due date, if he so chooses.