- 1 - VPH IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CRIMINAL APPLICATION No. 692 OF 2008 Subhash Anant Patil & Ors. Applicants vs. State of Maharashtra Respondent Mr. K.S. Patil, Advocate for the applicants. Mr. Rajesh More, APP for the respondent. CORAM : D. G. KARNIK, J. DATE : MARCH 17, 2008. PC 1. Heard. 2. The applicants seek pre-arrest bail in connection C.R. No.I-27 of 2008 registered with Virar Police Station for the alleged offence punishable under section 395 read with section 34 of Indian Penal Code. 3. On 14th of January 2008 the applicants along with 6-7 other persons came to the river Tansa where complainant was performing dredging work, and committed robbery of the machinery, battery and other ariticles used - 2 - for the purpose of dredging. The applicants have been specifically named in the FIR by the complainant. There is a prima-facie material connecting the applicants to the crime. Crime is a serious offence punishable with life imprisonment or imprisonment upto ten years. Hence, applicants do not deserve bail. 4. The object of the crime was not only to commit robbery but to terrorise the complainant. The applicants were committing theft of the sand in the river bed, without appropriate permit. The complainant objected to the same. In order to terrorise the complainant, robbery was committed and whatever machinary that could not be removed was broken. Thus, they wanted to punish the whistle blower who tried to prevent theft to the government property. The offence therefore, assumes more seriousness. In the circumstances, the application for anticipatory bail is rejected. Sd/- [ D. G. KARNIK, J.]