1 acd IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CRIMINAL APPLICATION NO. 5779 OF 2009 Balaji Shrirang Sagar ... Applicant versus The State of Maharashtra ... Respondent ... Shri A.P. Mundargi, Sr. Advocate with Mr. Sanket Talang, for the applicant. Shri D.N. Salvi for Central Excise. Shri S.N. Gawade, APP for the State. CORAM : D.G. KARNIK, J. DATED : 8th March 2010 P.C. 1. By this application the applicant seeks bail in connection with C.R. No. 113 of 2009 registered at Wanavadi Police Station, Pune, for an offence punishable under sections- 467,468, 471 and 420 and 479 read with section-34 of IPC. 2. The applicant is an dvocate and was principally practicing in the matters RELATING TO Central Excise. It is alleged that he committed the theft of one of cheque on an account of the Central Excise Department of the Government, forged it showing to be a cheque of 2 refund of excise duty, and deposited it in the account of a co-accused. On investigation it was found that the Applicant had even prepared the rubber stamp of the Central Excise office and used it for purpose of forging of the cheque. The signatures of the authorised signatories were also forged. From the material on record, prima facie, it discloses the involvement of the Applicant in the crime. 3. Mr. Mundargi, learned senior advocate appearing on behalf of the Applicant submits that since the investigation has been completed, the custody of the Applicant is not needed for the purpose of investigation or even otherwise. He further submits that the Applicant has been arrested in the month of April, 2009 and he is in custody since then and deserves to be granted bail pending trial. 4. Since the investigation has already been completed and charge- sheet has been filed, in my view the custody of the applicant is no longer needed for the purpose of investigation. No apprehension is expressed that in the event the applicant is granted bail he would not be made available for trial and would abscond himself. 5. Taking this into consideration, the applicant can be granted conditional bail. ORDER i) The applicant be released on bail on his executing P.R. Bond 3 of Rs.20,000/- with two sureties of the like amount subject to the following conditions: ii) The applicant shall not tamper with the prosecution evidence nor give any threat to prosecution witnesses and shall not seek unnecessary adjournments at the time of trial. iii) The applicant shall record his presence at the concerned police station in the first week of every British Calender month. (D.G. KARNIK,J.)