Chargesheet Has Already Been Filed: SC While Granting Bail To Saket Gokhale In Crowdfunding Misuse Case

The Supreme Court yesterday granted bail to Trinamool Congress spokesperson Saket Gokhale in a case related to the alleged misuse of money collected through crowdfunding.

Granting relief to Gokhale, a bench comprising Justice B R Gavai and Justice Vikram Nath noted that a charge sheet has already been filed in the case.

"Additional Solicitor General S V Raju vehemently opposes the application. However, taking into consideration the nature of allegation and that the charge sheet has already been filed, we are inclined to grant bail. The petitioner is directed to be released on bail in connection with FIR... (registered) at Cyber Crime P.S. Ahmedabad City, subject to furnishing personal bail bond and sureties to the satisfaction of the trial court," the bench said.

Senior Advocate Siddharth Agarwal appeared for the Petitioner while ASG SV Raju appeared for the Respondent before the Court.

Gokhale had moved the apex court challenging a January 23 order of the Gujarat High Court which had rejected his bail plea.

The TMC leader was arrested by the Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch from Delhi on December 30 last year for allegedly misusing the money he had collected through crowdfunding.

The FIR was registered on a complaint lodged by an Ahmedabad resident who claimed he had made an online donation of Rs 500 to Gokhale.

Gokhale is facing charges under sections 420 (cheating), 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 467 (forgery) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Cause Title: Saket Suhas Gokhale v. The State of Gujarat 

Click here to read/download the Order

With PTI Inputs