Custody Unwarranted: Panvel Businessman Granted Bail in ₹60 Crore GST Fake Invoice Case

Custody Unwarranted: Panvel Businessman Granted Bail in ₹60 Crore GST Fake Invoice Case

• Grounds for Granting Bail

  The Esplanade court granted bail to Nandlal Pandurang Uike, a Panvel-based businessman accused in a GST fraud case involving ₹60 crore in fake invoices and a wrongful Input Tax Credit (ITC) claim of ₹10.68 crore. The court ruled that since the custodial interrogation was completed and the case relies only on documentary evidence already seized, there was “no necessity to keep the accused behind bars.”

• Rejection of Prosecution’s Objection

  The prosecution argued that economic offenses warranted a different approach to bail and noted the serious nature of the fraud and the fact that co-accused were absconding. However, the court countered that the absconding status of co-accused “cannot be the ground for rejection” of the present accused’s bail application, especially since the accused cooperated with the investigation.

• Nature of the Offence

  The court also noted that offenses under the GST Act, while serious, are subject to certain restrictions of a compoundable nature, and the power of prosecution is merely “ancillary and incidental” to the power to levy and collect GST. Uike was released on a personal bond of ₹2 lakh with sureties.