Mumbai court grants anticipatory bail to accused in cheating case lodged by mother of Shilpa Shetty

The Mumbai Sessions Court at Dindoshi on Wednesday granted anticipatory bail to the accused in complaint filed by Sunanda Shetty, mother of Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty alleging that the accused had cheated her in a ₹1.6 crore land deal case (Sudhakar Ghare v. State of Maharashtra) .Additional Sessions Judge DD Khoche directed that in the event of arrest, the applicant accused, Sudhakar Ghare should be released on executing a bail bond of ₹2 lakhs with one or two sureties. He was also directed to report to the Juhu police station every Wednesday till October 15, and thereafter if investigating officer calls till filing of chargesheet and attend the trial regularly..The case was that Shetty's mother entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the accused that upon payment of certain consideration, she was going to purchase a piece of land after she procures a certificate proving that she is a farmer.However allegedly due to failure on the part of Shetty's mother to get a certificate, the transaction got delayed. .Shetty's mother approached the Juhu police station to lodge a complaint stating that Ghare had fraudulently tried to sell the disputed piece of land.The police, however, closed the complaint as the dispute was civil in nature. The closing of complaint, Ghare stated, happened after his statement was recorded by the police..Shetty's mother then approached the Metropolitan Magistrate seeking directions to register an FIR which was allowed by the Magistrate and an FIR was registered under Sections 406, 409, 420, 465, 467, 468, 471 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code for offences of cheating, criminal breach of trust and forgery..Ghare stated in his application that the complaint filed by Shetty's mother was frivolous as the transaction was of purely civil nature and the allegations made were absurd. Advocate Gaurav Parkar appearing for Ghare stated that through the complaint Shetty's mother was trying to pressurise him to give in to her illegal demands..Parkar apprised the Court that Shetty's mother had also civil suit before the Panvel Court seeking cancellation of the MoU executed between Ghare and her and seeking refund of the amount of ₹1.6 crores.He pointed out that Shetty's mother failed to disclose this suit in her complaint. The prosecution opposed grant of such bail. .After considering all submissions, the Court proceeded to grant the application. (A detailed order is awaited).[Read Roznama]