Bombay HC Accepts Unconditional Apology From Crime Branch Officers For Midnight Raid On Businessman's Home

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court recently accepted an unconditional apology tendered by officers of the Mumbai crime branch for barging into the house of businessman Shyamsunder Agarwal at midnight in January.

A bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Shyam Chandak was hearing a petition by Agarwal seeking direction to the authorities to investigate into the incident of January 30, 2024 and praying that action be taken against the officers concerned.

Agarwal’s advocate Sandesh Patil submitted that police came to the businessman’s residence, at about 12:00 am/3:00 am, in the intervening night of January 30-31, to arrest his children. The police went to arrest despite the fact that the case was lodged only against Agarwal and his brother. Further, the police were even aware that Agarwal and his brother were granted pre-arrest bail by the high court in the said case.

The court questioned state advocate Prajakta Shinde regarding the police action of “10-12 police going to the petitioner's house to arrest the petitioner's children”. The police allegedly went to Agarwal’s house to probe an alleged cheating and breach of trust complaint registered against him.

Shinde, on instructions from the officer who went to Agarwal’s house along with the team, tendered an apology to Agarwal before the high court. The court noted that Agarwal’s advocate accepted the apology and did not press the prayer for a probe against the policemen.

“Learned counsel for the petitioner accepts the said apology and as such, does not press this petition. The petition is, accordingly, disposed of as not pressed,” the court said on July 10.