* 1 * ABA. 566.2011 20.7.2011 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION ANTICIPATORY BAIL APPLICATION NO. 566 OF 2011 Sanjay Santaram Malji ..... Applicant V/S. The State of Maharashtra ..... Respondent Ms. T.R. Shetty i/by. Mr. Osman Chishty, Advocate for the applicant. Mrs. A.A. Mane, APP for the State-respondent. CORAM :- Smt. R.P. SondurBaldota, J. 20th July, 2011. P.C. :- 1. The applicant herein seeks anticipatory bail in connection with C.R. No. I-79 of 2011 registered with Central Police Station, Ulhasnagar for the offences punishable under Sections 384, 385 read with 34 Indian Penal Code. 2. The complainant-Sadanand Shetty carries on hoteling business in the name and style of Anchal Palace Family Restaurant. On 18th April, 2011 he complained to Central Police Station, Ulhasnagar that he had * 2 * ABA. 566.2011 20.7.2011 been receiving threatening calls on his mobile from the applicant herein, one Ramdas Devkar, one Uday Yadav alongwith Sandip Patange, Kamble, Dhanraj Pankar. The applicant and his accomplices demanded protection money of Rs.15,000/- per month from the complainant. They threatened to otherwise malign the complainant by publishing in newspapers that business of prostitution was being conducted from the complainant’s hotel. They also threatened that a complaint to that effect will be made to the police and his business of hotel closed down. 3. The applicant who is specifically named in the complaint claims to be a businessman running Man-Power supply business in the name and style of M/s. Perfect Solution Manpower Supplier from his residence, the address of which is stated in the cause title of the application. He also claims to be a social worker and an RTI activist. It is the contention of the applicant, that he does not know any of the accused persons. According to him, he has been targeted on account of his activities as a social worker. He has been complaining to the police about the illegal matka business being conducted in Ulhasnagar area. On 18th April, 2011 he claims to have made several calls to Ulhasnagar Central Police Station making enquiries about the action taken by the police on the information regarding matka business and also the statement made by the Home Minister regarding the eradication of the * 3 * ABA. 566.2011 20.7.2011 illegal business. The investigation, however, shows that the name of the applicant has been mentioned in the telephonic conversation recorded between the complainant and one of the accused persons. The call details of the applicant’s own telephone show that the applicant was in contact with another accused, Dhanraj Pankar. With this material on record, it cannot be said on a prima-facie view that the applicant is not connected with the complaint. The nature of the offence alleged being serious, the police must get an opportunity to investigate into the complaint thoroughly including custodial interrogation. Hence, the application is dismissed. [SMT. R.P. SONDURBALDOTA, J]