The Gujarat High Court has declined the bail request of a man involved in forging passports and illegally trafficking Indian citizens to foreign countries, as disclosed in the case of Bharatkumar Ramabhai Patel versus the State of Gujarat.
During the ruling, single-judge Justice Nirzar Desai referenced Patel’s previous deportation from the United States in 2002 following convictions for similar offences. The court highlighted eight antecedents against Patel in India, along with seven convictions in the US before his deportation, indicating a consistent engagement in criminal activities. The judge observed multiple similar offences registered at various Indian police stations, suggesting a pattern of similar unlawful actions across different cities in India.
The court noted Patel’s direct involvement with individuals seeking illegal passage to foreign countries. It highlighted allegations of fabricating passports and visa stickers for various nations, emphasizing Patel’s widespread international contacts. Concerns were raised that if granted bail, Patel might utilize these connections to flee, given his history of illegally facilitating people’s border crossings.
Patel had been in custody since December 2022, initially booked under the Gambling Act. Subsequently, another case under the Passport Act of 1967 and the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was filed against him by the Ahmedabad Police while his bail plea was pending.
Although granted bail in the Gambling Act case in January, Patel remained in custody due to the ongoing Passport Act and IPC case. His recent bail plea was dismissed by Justice Desai, who highlighted transactions totaling ₹1.5 crore across 75 different instances in Patel’s name, indicating the gravity of the offense.
Considering Patel’s history of convictions and ongoing criminal activities post-deportation, the court deemed him unsuitable for bail, dismissing his plea.
Senior Advocate ND Nanavaty, accompanied by Advocates Mukesh Kumar Sudarshan and Hetu M Sudarshan, represented the accused, while Additional Public Prosecutor Manan Mehta appeared for the State.
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