Pralhad Pramod Shirodkar v. the State of Maharashtra
Case brief
What is this about?
Bombay High Court anticipatory bail application No. 2499 of 2024 rejected by N.R. Borkar, J. on 08.10.2025; applicant Pralhad P. Shirodkar, owner of S.S. Shirodkar Jewellers; apprehended arrest in Vikhroli Police Station Crime No. 337 of 2024, Section 420 IPC (cheating); failure to return complainant's 2 gold bangles (40 grams, Rs.1,23,785/-, bought 08.11.2015, handed over 14.11.2021 for remaking against receipts); three-year non-return held sufficient to infer intent to cheat; State (APP Rutuja Ambekar) and first informant (appointed advocate Keral Mehta) sought custodial interrogation for recovery of ornaments; Rs.2,25,000/- earlier deposited with Court registry per order dated 06.09.2024; no precedent discussed.
What did the court decide?
The fact that the applicant has not returned the ornaments to the first informant for the period of three years is sufficient at this stage to draw an inference that the intent of the applicant was to cheat the first informant.