Rakesh Kumar Mahato Vs State of Jharkhand (Jharkhand High Court)
The Jharkhand High Court dismissed an application for anticipatory bail filed by the petitioner in connection with offences under Sections 467, 468, 471, 420, 406 and 34 of the IPC. The petitioner, an Accounting Clerk-cum-Computer Operator under the 15th Finance Commission in Baliapur Block, contended that the allegations were false, that he had cooperated with the investigation by replying to the notice under Section 41-A CrPC, and that the documents in question were genuine.
The State opposed the application, submitting that the petitioner was involved in the misappropriation of ₹63 lakh. According to the FIR and the enquiry, a firm operated by the petitioner’s wife, along with his brother and sister-in-law, acted as a vendor under Block schemes and received ₹19 lakh. It was further alleged that ₹5.58 lakh was transferred from the firm’s account to the petitioner’s personal account and ₹44 lakh of government funds under various 15th Finance Commission schemes was transferred to his personal bank account. The enquiry also alleged that part of the government funds was diverted from beneficiaries’ accounts to the petitioner’s account using fake vouchers, many of which had not been approved by the competent authority.
