Mumbai Court Denies Anticipatory Bail in Forgery Case

A Mumbai court has denied anticipatory bail to Rajesh Panchal, accused of sending 80 Indians overseas using fake passports and visas. The court emphasized the necessity of his custodial interrogation to uncover the crime's full extent, rejecting the plea despite co-accused Roshan Dudwadkar being granted bail.

A Mumbai court has declined to grant anticipatory bail to Rajesh Panchal, accused of facilitating the illegal travel of 80 Indians to foreign countries by using counterfeit passports and visas. The court found significant evidence of his involvement in this alleged crime.

The Additional Sessions Judge, Prashant Kale, stressed that custodial interrogation is crucial to extract vital information, which would be compromised if bail was granted. Panchal is under investigation for offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Passport Act.

The prosecution claims Panchal's associate, Roshan Dudwadkar, arrested in February, revealed Panchal charged hefty fees for these illegal services. Despite Panchal's defense of being wrongfully accused, his bail was denied again to ensure the investigation's integrity.

(With inputs from agencies.)