Mumbai: Special ACB Court Rejects Bribery Accused Stenographer's Plea For Return Of Mobile Phone

Mumbai: Special ACB Court Rejects Bribery Accused Stenographer's Plea For Return Of Mobile Phone

The Special ACB Court rejected a plea by court stenographer Chandrakant Vasudev for the return of his seized mobile phone, holding that it is primary electronic evidence in an ongoing bribery investigation. The court said the device contains crucial data on alleged communications and transactions, while the probe is still underway.

Charul Shah JoshiUpdated: Thursday, July 16, 2026, 04:04 AM IST
Mumbai: Special ACB Court Rejects Bribery Accused Stenographer's Plea For Return Of Mobile Phone
The Special ACB Court held that the seized mobile phone is primary electronic evidence in the ongoing bribery investigation | Representational Imahe

Mumbai, July 15, 2026: The Special ACB Court has rejected a plea for the return of a mobile phone filed by Chandrakant Vasudev, a stenographer posted at the Mazgaon Court, who was booked along with a judge on bribery charges, observing that the device is primary evidence.

Court Rejects Plea

Vasudev was arrested in November last year for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 15 lakh in exchange for a favourable verdict in a property dispute. At the time of his arrest, the police had seized Vasudev's mobile phone as part of the evidence.

Seeking the return of his mobile phone, Vasudev submitted that he would produce the device before the court as and when required. The plea was opposed by the prosecution, which contended that the mobile handset is required to be preserved as it contains electronic evidence relating to the alleged demand, contact, and transactions involved in the case, and therefore is not merely a muddemal article.

Also Watch:

Phone Held As Primary Evidence

The court accepted the prosecution's contention and observed that “the mobile handset containing the relevant data or electronic evidence is the primary evidence of the incriminating material like the pattern of transactions and communication between the accused persons. Moreover, the investigation is still in progress and the charge-sheet is not yet presented.”

To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/