IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION APPLICATION NO. 575 OF 2010 Rashid Ali Raza Akhtar ..... ..... ...Applicant. V/s The State of Maharashtra ..... ... Respondent. Ms.Sharmila Kaushik, Adv. for the applicant. Mr.S.R.Shinde, APP for the State. CORAM: B.R.GAVAI, J. 11th March, 2010. PC: This is an application for grant of bail. The applicant is found guilty for the offences punishable under sections 497, 468, 471, 420 read with section 34 of IPC. 2. The allegations of the prosecution is that the present applicant along with other accused had forged cheques of HDFC bank, Allahabad and deposited the same IDBI bank, Shivaji Nagar, Pune. 3. The application is opposed by learned APP on the ground that the applicant is involved in serious offence. It is submitted that the applicants have used the forged cheques in order defraud the bank and therefore they are not entitled to grant of bail. The applicant is arrested on 30.12.09. After initial remand of the police in police custody the applicant is in magisterial custody for almost a period of 2 ½ months. The case basically revolves around documentary evidence. In so far as the issue as to whether cheque is forged one or not the investigating officer has already collected the specimen signature and hand writing of the applicant and same has been sent 1 for comparison to hand writing expert. As such the question as to whether the applicant has forged the said cheques or not depends upon the report of the hand writing expert. 4. The applicant is behind the bar for a period of two and half months. The other accused have not been so far arrested. As it is informed that he had initially been granted interim bail and after rejection of the same his application is pending before this Court. In that view of the matter I am inclined to allow the application. The applicant is directed to be released on bail on furnishing bail bond in sum of Rs.25,000/- with one or two local sureties in the like amount. Applicant shall report to the investigating officer on every Sunday between 10.00 a.m. To 12.00 p.m. And cooperate with the investigation. 11.3.2010. 2