Mumbai: A Mumbai sessions court has early this month granted bail to a police constable in a case against him by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) for giving a false police verification report to enable illegal Bangladeshis to procure Indian passports.
The ATS had booked 37-year-old Vinayak Gavit for cheating, forgery, and offences under the Foreigners Act and Passports Act.
His advocate had argued that he was falsely implicated and a co-accused had given false information based on which he was arrested. The co-accused is already released on bail he informed the court. The advocate further impressed upon the court that Gavit is in police service and there is no possibility of his absconding.
The ATS had opposed his bail application and told the court that he had not just given a false report to enable the illegal Bangladeshis to get a passport, but had also helped them get forged documents for the same.
The court said in its order while granting Gavit bail said that the allegations have to be proved in a full-fledged trial and whether he was authorized to give the NOC, has to be established by adducing documents during the trial. It further said that the case is based on documentary evidence relating to forgery and that the police have already completed their investigation and filed the charge sheet.
Additional Sessions Judge MM Umar considered the nature of the offence, the prescribed punishment, and the aspect that the trial would take a long time to conclude, while granting the policeman bail on stringent conditions.
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