Delhi court grants pre-arrest bail to woman accused of posing as MCA staff

A Delhi court has granted pre-arrest bail to a woman accused of cheating by posing as an employee of the Union Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), saying the authenticity of certain documents had to be verified.

Additional Sessions Judge Saurabh Partap Singh Laler was hearing the anticipatory bail plea of Oindrilla Das Gupta, against whom the Inderpuri police station had registered an FIR under various IPC sections, including cheating and forgery.

In an order dated July 15, the court noted the investigating officer’s (IO) reply, according to which Das Gupta forged MCA invoices, stamps and signatures of an official and former union minister, Anurag Thakur.

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“The applicant (Das Gupta) allegedly used these forgeries to induce the complainant to part with Rs 10 lakh for 42 iPhones and other items. A cheque for Rs 9.66 lakhs was dishonoured,” the court said, noting the reply.

Advocate Sumit Gehlot, the accused’s counsel, countered the prosecution’s arguments against bail, saying the case was rooted in a civil monetary dispute, rather than a conspiracy.

“In view of the loan agreement as well as other documents on record, the authenticity of which is yet to be verified, in the opinion of the court, the applicant is entitled to bail till the forensic science laboratory (FSL) result is received,” Judge Laler said.

The court granted the relief subject to the furnishing of a personal bond and a surety bond of Rs 20,000 each along with other conditions, such as not leaving the country, not tampering with evidence and not contacting any prosecution witnesses or other persons acquainted with the facts of the case.