Court grants anticipatory bail to 'Jamtara' producer in Rs 2.5-crore cheating case
MUMBAI: The sessions court granted anticipatory bail to popular film producer of Jamtara , Manish Trehan , and his brother in law Satwant Singh arrested for cheating an investor of ₹2 crore in a 2022 business deal. The case pertains to October last year when the police booked Manish and Singh for allegedly defrauding a Khar-based businessman, Nihar Lud of ₹2.5 crore.
The complaint states that Trehan took the money from Nihar Lud under the pretext of business expansion and financing a film project, which he claimed would be featured on Amazon Prime. Nihar, a 40-year-old businessman who runs a finance service firm, met Trehan in October 2022 through a mutual contact. Police said Singh allegedly impersonated an officer from Amazon and misled the complainant.
As per the FIR, Trehan, introducing himself as the director of the advertising editing company Click On RM Pvt Ltd, promised to return the money within a year, along with interest. Trusting this assurance, Nihar transferred ₹2 crore to Trehan for business expansion via an online transaction.
Upon asking for repayment, Trehan told Nihar that the money was invested in a film, claiming it was nearly complete, with only editing work left to finish. Trehan further asked Nihar for an additional ₹50 lakh to cover these final costs, promising that the film would be sold to the OTT platform soon, and the money would be returned. Trusting Trehan’s word, Nihar transferred an additional ₹50 lakh on October 5, 2023. This time, Trehan provided a written loan agreement, acknowledging the ₹2.5 crore loan, and issued four post-dated cheques as assurance, to be cashed by March 31, 2024.
The public prosecutor objected to his ABA, stating that the accused's custodial interrogation is necessary for search and seizure operations at the residential and office premises of the accused person for a detailed, in-depth investigation. Advocate Karan Mehta, representing Manish, argued before the court that the complainant tried to implicate his client in a criminal case by concoction, though the facts of the case are purely business transactions and civil in nature.
"The investigation is based on documentary evidence. Most of the investigation is completed. The say of the prosecution shows that the accused has given notice under section 35 (3) of BNS for remaining present in the police station for the investigation. There is no contention of the prosecution that the accused is not cooperating during the course of the investigation. The accused submitted that he is a resident of Mumbai and therefore, he will not abscond. He is ready to cooperate for investigation purposes. Under such circumstances, I am inclined to grant him bail," stated the order of Ashwini Kasture, Additional Sessions Judge. The court held that custodial interrogation was unnecessary and allowed bail on a ₹25,000 bond and ₹10,000 cash security
The complaint states that Trehan took the money from Nihar Lud under the pretext of business expansion and financing a film project, which he claimed would be featured on Amazon Prime. Nihar, a 40-year-old businessman who runs a finance service firm, met Trehan in October 2022 through a mutual contact. Police said Singh allegedly impersonated an officer from Amazon and misled the complainant.
As per the FIR, Trehan, introducing himself as the director of the advertising editing company Click On RM Pvt Ltd, promised to return the money within a year, along with interest. Trusting this assurance, Nihar transferred ₹2 crore to Trehan for business expansion via an online transaction.
Upon asking for repayment, Trehan told Nihar that the money was invested in a film, claiming it was nearly complete, with only editing work left to finish. Trehan further asked Nihar for an additional ₹50 lakh to cover these final costs, promising that the film would be sold to the OTT platform soon, and the money would be returned. Trusting Trehan’s word, Nihar transferred an additional ₹50 lakh on October 5, 2023. This time, Trehan provided a written loan agreement, acknowledging the ₹2.5 crore loan, and issued four post-dated cheques as assurance, to be cashed by March 31, 2024.
The public prosecutor objected to his ABA, stating that the accused's custodial interrogation is necessary for search and seizure operations at the residential and office premises of the accused person for a detailed, in-depth investigation. Advocate Karan Mehta, representing Manish, argued before the court that the complainant tried to implicate his client in a criminal case by concoction, though the facts of the case are purely business transactions and civil in nature.
"The investigation is based on documentary evidence. Most of the investigation is completed. The say of the prosecution shows that the accused has given notice under section 35 (3) of BNS for remaining present in the police station for the investigation. There is no contention of the prosecution that the accused is not cooperating during the course of the investigation. The accused submitted that he is a resident of Mumbai and therefore, he will not abscond. He is ready to cooperate for investigation purposes. Under such circumstances, I am inclined to grant him bail," stated the order of Ashwini Kasture, Additional Sessions Judge. The court held that custodial interrogation was unnecessary and allowed bail on a ₹25,000 bond and ₹10,000 cash security
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