No pre-arrest bail to fake IAS officer, wife who duped people of ₹5.77 cr

The four accused had approached the sessions court for anticipatory bail contending that they are falsely implicated in the case and a probe can be conducted without taking them into custody. They pleaded that they are ready to cooperate with the investigation

MUMBAI: The sessions court last week rejected anticipatory bail pleas of a 52-year-old Andheri resident, his wife and two of their associates, booked for allegedly posing as an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer and cheating people to the tune of ₹5.77 crore.

The court accepted the contention and observed that there is substantial evidence against the accused and their custodial interrogation is required. (Stock PIx)

The police said posing as an IAS officer, the man induced people to invest in a firm, where his wife was the director. He promised them higher returns by claiming he will invest their money into slum rehabilitation projects and the film industry.

The Mumbai crime branch had registered a case against Aashutosh Kumar, his wife Monica Kumar, his manager Sanjay Pandey and partner Manoj Patel.

It is alleged that by showing fabricated documents of properties and under the false scheme, Ashutosh and his associates collected huge amounts and claimed that they would invest in slum rehabilitation projects as well as in the film industry.

The four accused had approached the sessions court for anticipatory bail contending that they are falsely implicated in the case and a probe can be conducted without taking them into custody. They pleaded that they are ready to cooperate with the investigation.

The court accepted the contention and observed that there is substantial evidence against the accused and their custodial interrogation is required. Hence, the court rejected the anticipatory bail plea of all four accused.