New Delhi, Jul 29 (PTI) A court here has denied bail to a man accused of impersonating senior advocate and former additional solicitor general of India Sidharth Luthra to cheat a bank, saying it was "in the interest of the society".
Additional Sessions Judge Devender Kumar Jangala dismissed the bail application of Mohit Goyal, noting that the investigation into the case was at the crucial stage and other the accused persons were absconding.
"Though it is true that the accused has the Constitutional right to life and liberty... and the liberty of the accused cannot be curtailed without the settled principle of law. However, the court has to maintain a balance between the rights of the accused and interest of the society," the judge said.
The accused is a habitual offender, involved in 40 other cases of cheating and fraud, the judge noted and said, "If he is released on bail, there is every likelihood of repeat of commission of offence, as has been repeatedly done by him."
"Keeping in view the interest of society, the accused is not entitled to bail. The bail application moved on behalf of the accused is accordingly dismissed," the judge said in an order passed on July 24.
A complaint was filed by Luthra, alleging that someone had created a forged legal notice in his name and sent it to the managing director and CEO of IndusInd Bank Ltd. and its other senior dignitaries to release the funds of an account in the name of a private company.
It was alleged that a fabricated e-mail and forged signatures of Luthra were used for the purpose.
The accused said in his bail application that he was falsely implicated in the case, adding that all the requisite recoveries were already made and he was not required for investigation purposes.
The police opposed the bail application, claiming the accused was the main conspirator who created a fake e-mail ID impersonating Luthra and sent the legal notice.
It also argued that the allegations against the accused are grave and the investigation was at a crucial stage.
The accused had also created forged ID proofs in the name of directors of a firm to impersonate them, the police alleged.