Single-judge Justice Nirzar Desai while rejecting bail to Bharatkumar Patel noted that he was deported from United States in 2002 after being convicted for similar offences in 2002.
“Considering the fact that there are eight antecedents reported against the present applicant in India, 7 convictions in US, prior to his deportation in 2002, would show that he has consistently and constantly indulged into criminal activities. Several similar offences are registered against him at various police stations in India and the same indicates that he has committed similar kind of offences even at various cities in India,” the Court said in its October 20 order.
The single-judge further said that prima facie, Patel was directly dealing with the victims/ persons desirous to go to foreign countries illegally.
“Considering the fact that the allegations against him are about creating forged passports and fabricated visa stickers of various foreign countries as well as it is coming out from the statement of various witnesses, prima facie, it seems that he is having contacts all over the world and therefore, looking to the fact that he was illegally sending people to foreign countries and successfully allowing them to cross the border, there are all the chances that if the present applicant is enlarged on bail, he may utilize his international contacts for himself and may fly away,” the Court opined.
Source: Barandbench
