HC grants bail to accused in ₹1.5 crore Mantralaya job scam

Bombay HC grants bail to accused in ₹1.5 crore job scam at Mantralaya after 18-month incarceration, complexity of case cited.

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court recently granted bail to an accused in a ₹1.5 crore job scam centred around Mantralaya, Satyen Gaikwad, who is a retired government employee. Justice NJ Jamadar, noting the 18-month incarceration of the accused and the completion of the investigation, stated, “Considering the complexity of the alleged conspiracy and the lengthy trial process ahead, the applicant is granted bail on furnishing a PR bond of ₹30,000.”

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The scam purportedly involved Gaikwad and his accomplices, Mahadeo Shirwale, Nitin Sathe, and others, who allegedly duped job seekers by promising them positions in Mantralaya. The police report detailed that the group, led by Sathe, deceived jobseekers out of ₹1.5 crore by pretending to conduct interviews for clerical positions.

To add credibility, the gang allegedly arranged medical examinations at JJ Hospital for the “selected candidates” and issued them fabricated appointment letters.

The extent of the scam became apparent after the city crime branch filed a 450-page chargesheet, outlining multiple offences, including cheating, forgery, breach of trust, criminal intimidation and conspiracy.

Victims, numbering 35 in total, were swindled out of substantial sums of money. The fraud began to unravel after one Sagar Jadhav lodged the first complaint in December 2018. The accused leveraged their positions in bureaucratic circles to add credibility to their deceit, even deceiving JJ Hospital officials with forged documents.

However, Gaikwad’s lawyer argued that the initial false representation was made by another co-accused, Gokuldas Kathale, and not Gaikwad. They pointed out that Gaikwad had returned ₹4,39,500 of the amount to one Chitre. The defense also emphasized Gaikwad’s prolonged incarceration since January 20, 2023, as ground for his release.

The prosecution, represented by additional prosecutor Rajashree Newton, opposed the bail, highlighting Gaikwad’s central role in the scam. They argued that Gaikwad induced unemployed youths to part with significant sums of money, making him a key figure in the fraudulent scheme. They maintained that his release could jeopardize the integrity of the case.

Justice Jamadar, while acknowledging the prima facie evidence of Gaikwad’s involvement, considered the long duration of his custody and the unlikely swift conclusion of the trial due to the number of accused and witnesses.