The Gujarat High Court has granted conditional regular bail to a man accused of cheating by personation and forgery related to obtaining an Indian passport, noting that he had "prima facie established his identity as an Indian citizen." The court's decision came in a case registered at the Ahmedabad Airport police station.
Court's Rationale for Granting Bail
In a recent oral order, the bench observed that the applicant, Biplob Haldar, held an Indian passport which was not stated to be forged by the prosecution. The court acknowledged that while the allegations state his parents were Bangladeshi nationals and he obtained a birth certificate from Kalyani Municipality in India, there were documents based on which he had prima facie established his citizenship.
The order highlighted that the accused has been in custody since May 27, 2025, and the passport in question has already been seized by the police. The court concluded there was no further requirement to keep him detained, paving the way for bail.
Conditions Attached to the Bail
The High Court granted bail on specific conditions. The applicant must furnish a personal bond of Rs 10,000 with one surety of the like amount. A key condition mandates that he "not leave the territory of India without prior permission" of the concerned Sessions Court.
Additionally, Biplob Haldar has been directed to mark his presence at the concerned police station once every month for a period of six months. The court clarified that its observations are of a "preliminary nature" and should not influence the trial court, which retains the authority to modify the bail conditions as per law.
Background of the Legal Case
The Ahmedabad Airport police had filed a chargesheet against Haldar following an FIR. He was booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita for cheating by personation, forgery, and using a forged document as genuine. Charges were also pressed under the Passport Act, 1967 for allegedly providing false information to procure a passport.
The prosecution's case centered on the claim that Haldar, despite being born to Bangladeshi nationals, secured an Indian birth certificate stating he was born within the limits of Kalyani Municipality. The court's bail order, however, focused on the current evidence of his identity and the duration of his incarceration.
