E-Paper
High court rejects anticipatory bail plea of cleric in cheating case
Bombay High Court dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of prominent TikTok Muslim cleric Abdul Rashid Miftahi in the ₹1.16 crore fraud and cheating case
Pune: Bombay High Court Judge Manish Pitale on September 10 dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of prominent TikTok Muslim cleric Abdul Rashid Miftahi alias Miftahi Qalandar Khan, 48, in the ₹1.16 crore fraud and cheating case involving Saad Motors lodged against him at Kondhwa. Miftahi is one of the accused in connection with the FIR dated July 30 registered at Kondhwa Police Station for offences under Sections 406 and 420 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and Sections 3 and 5 of the Maharashtra Protection of Interest of Depositors (in financial Establishments) Act, 1999.
The judge in his order mentioned that Miftahi being a motivational speaker was in a much better position to induce the informant and other innocent investors, as such persons had developed a certain amount of faith in him considering the contents of his videos on social media. Miftahi has a fan following of 1.96 million followers on YouTube.
Justice Pitale’s order notes that the court is of the opinion that considering the specific allegations made against Miftahi, his prima facie active involvement in the modus operandi comes through, in the light of the material on record. Even if the explanation sought to be given by Miftahi about transfer of amount into his account is to be accepted for the sake of arguments, the specific allegations regarding inducements made against him cannot be ignored. It cannot be said that merely because the informant and other innocent investors did not directly transfer the amounts to the account of Miftahi, the said fact would necessarily insure to the benefit of Miftahi.
Miftahi’s younger brother Rafique Qalandar Khan, 44; Sanobar alias Sauda Rafique Khan, 40, and Isa Rafque Khan, 23; residents of Grace Residency of Bhagyodayanagar in Kondhwa Khurd have also been booked in the case. Advocate Ameya Sirsikar represented the victims in the court. Nisar Babulal Shaikh, 55, of Chintamaninagar in Hadapsar had lodged a complaint. The other complainants include Aniket Gaikwad, Hamid Babulal Sheikh, Julekha Sameer Sheikh, Azim Raju Bhai Mulani, Sandeep Badhe, Jahangir Pathan, Vishal Chavan, and Sameer Rajjak Sheikh. The accused cheated the victims on the pretext of offering them a monthly return between 2 and 3 per cent by investing in a private luxury car business.
