Saurabh Kumar Vs State of Madhya Pradesh (Supreme Court of India)
Summary: In the case of Saurabh Kumar vs State of Madhya Pradesh, the petitioner, Saurabh Kumar, had been in custody since October 18, 2023, following his arrest in connection with a GST-related investigation. The case, registered by the Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI), Indore, involved alleged violations under Sections 132(1)(b) and 132(1)(f)(i) of the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) Act, 2017. These sections relate to offenses concerning fraudulent documentation and improper handling of tax liabilities. The investigation was completed, and the chargesheet (challan) was filed, although the trial was expected to take time.
The Supreme Court considered the period of incarceration and the nature of the allegations before deciding to grant bail to Kumar. The Court ordered his release on bail with a bond of ₹1,00,000 and equivalent sureties. The conditions included surrendering his passport and restricting his travel outside India without prior permission from the Court. Additionally, the petitioner was directed to regularly attend the trial unless explicitly exempted. Non-compliance with these terms could result in legal consequences. The Special Leave Petition was thus allowed, with any pending applications being disposed of.
FULL TEXT OF THE SUPREME COURT JUDGMENT/ORDER
