SUNIL GROVER Vs. STATE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This is a petition filed by the petitioner under Section 439 of Cr.P.C. for grant of bail.

(2.) The facts of the case are that one Salim Khan, who was one of the investors, was duped by the accused persons on seeing an advertisement published by RKG Trade for Profit in The Economic Times of April, 2009. On seeing the said advertisement, he went to the office of the accused persons, where he met both the accused and his father. They told him that their company, RKG Trade for Profit was a member of Multi Commodity Exchange of India Ltd. Both asked Salim Khan to deposit a sum of Rs.50,000/- which would fetch an interest @ 7% per month. An agreement to that effect was entered into between the parties. Salim Khan deposited a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- through cheque in May, 2009 in the office of the accused persons. The accused persons managed the portfolio of Salim Khan. Whenever he met the accused persons, he was given assurances and was persuaded to deposit further amounts of money. He was swayed by these assurances and his father also deposited a sum of Rs. 5,30,000/- with the office of the accused. Till December 2009, the complainant received the payments through cheques. However, the cheque for the month of January, 2010 had bounced and thereafter the money was not paid. The accused persons had allegedly closed their office and ran away.

(3.) On the basis of this statement of the complainant, an FIR was registered for cheating and various other offences. During the course of interrogation of the accused, computers and other material of the accused persons were seized. The investigation of this case was transferred to EOW Cell (Crime Branch) on 8.5.2010 and thereafter, a number of persons came forward and made allegations against the accused. About 188 complaints had been made by the investors who had purportedly been duped by the accused persons for more than Rs.1,00,00,000/-. The Report under Section 173 Cr.P.C. shows that more than 1500 investors had invested approximately Rs.30,00,00,000/- in the concern of the accused persons.