1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY NAGPUR BENCH, NAGPUR Criminal Application No. 1452 of 2010 Tejrao Ramchandra Bhise and another ..VERSUS.. State of Maharashtra, through P.S.O., P.S., Chikhali, Dist. Buldhana and another Office Notes, Office Memoranda of Coram, Appearances, Courts orders or directions Court’s or Judge’s orders and Registrar’s orders. Mr. P.B.Patil, Advocate for the applicant. Mr. J.B.Jaiswal, A.P.P. for the respondent. CORAM : Prasanna B. Varale, J. DATED : 04 th Octo ber , 2010 . Heard. By this application, the applicants are seeking anticipatory bail in Forest Crime No. 513/6 for the offence punishable under Sections 26(1)(f), 41, 42, 52, 69 of Indian Forest Act R/w Rule 66 & 82 of Bombay Forest Rules and Sections 3 & 4 of Maharashtra Felling of Trees Act, 1964. Mr. Patil, learned Advocate for the applicants submits that the applicants are not involved in the crime and they are falsely implicated in the crime. There is no material with the investigation agency against the applicants and only on the suspicion, the investigating agency is proceedings against them. Per contra, Mr. Jaiswal, learned APP has strongly opposed the application by filing the reply. The reply reveals that there is sufficient material against the applicants. It is also stated in the reply that there are criminal antecedents against the applicants and earlier also they are involved in similar nature of forest crimes. The offences are serious in nature and custodial interrogation of the applicants is necessary. A large quantity of forest produce i.e. sandalwood is 2 involved in the present offence. The investigating agency has expressed apprehension that if the applicants are granted protection, there is possibility of pressurizing the witnesses and tampering with the prosecution evidence. The apprehension expressed by the I.O. is justified. In view of above observations, I am of the opinion that no case is made out by the applicants for grant of anticipatory bail. In the result, the application is rejected. Criminal Application is disposed of. JUDGE Diwale