Mumbai Court Grants Bail to Navy Officer in Visa Fraud Case

Mumbai: A court here has granted bail to an officer of the Indian Navy arrested in an alleged visa fraud case, citing that the accused had been in detention since June 2023 and the trial against him is yet to commence.

Additional sessions judge V M Pathade on November 25 allowed the plea filed by Lieutenant Commander Vipin Dagar.

Police have alleged that Dagar was found in possession of 14 Indian passports in the name of different people, a stamp machine (purchased from Vishakhapattanam to make fake stamps) and 108 rubber stamps of some establishments.

He also used a rubber sheet to create forged and fabricated documents to obtain passports/visas for co-accused in the case, they said.

They also claimed that Dagar entered the premises of the Korean Embassy in his Naval uniform, tried to put pressure on the concerned officer and behaved in an indecent manner, which is not expected from a public servant.

"The applicant's role in the commission of the subject crime is major and unbecoming of a naval officer," it submitted.

The prosecution said the investigating agency has collected sufficient material to disclose Dagar's "active participation" in activities leading to the commission of the alleged offences.

Dagar's advocate, Sunil Pandey, contended that he has been falsely implicated in the case and is a victim of circumstances.

"The grounds for arrest were not furnished by the police while arresting the accused," he submitted.

The defence relied on several landmark judgments of the Supreme Court to support its arguments for bail.

"There was no prima facie case, as Dagar is neither the beneficiary nor has he received any profit," Pandey argued.

The court, after hearing both sides, held that a chargesheet had been filed against Dagar and the co-accused.

"The applicant has been under detention since June 28, 2023, the trial is yet to commence, and there is no likelihood of the trial being concluded in the near future," the court said.

"In the light of the pronouncements of the Apex court, I am of the considered opinion that the applicant is entitled to grant of bail as sought for subject to appropriate conditions," it added.