The Supreme Court in the case Saket Suhas Gokhale vs State of Gujarat observed and has issued notice to Gujarat police on the plea filed by Trinamool Congress spokesperson Saket Gokhale, wherein the court challenged the order of the Gujarat High Court which denied him bail in case which relates to alleged misappropriation of funds collected through crowdfunding.
The bench comprising of Justice BR Gavai and Justice Vikram Nath in the case observed and has issued a notice which being returnable within two weeks on the petition.
Therefore, the allegations which are being made against him are that an amount of Rs 72 lakh was being collected by him from more than 1,700 persons through a crowdfunding platform ‘our democracy’ and that money ahs been used for personal use and thus, misappropriated the funds.
In the present case, the FIR was being registered upon a complaint filed by a woman who claimed to have donated Rs 500 to Gokhale through online mode (Razorpay). Thus, Gokhale was also being booked under Indian Penal Code section 420 (cheating), section 406 (criminal breach of trust), and section 467 (forgery).
The High Court bench comprising of Justice Samir J. Dave in the case observed while denying the Gokhale bail that there being no prima facie case that the amounts collected in the name of welfare were used by the accused for his personal benefit.
It has been contended by the Gokhale that he was being arrested by the Gujarat police on 06.12.2022, after it has been tweeted by him that the Prime Minister’s visit to Morbi bridge accident site being costed the exchequer an amount of Rs. 30 crores. Therefore, it has also been alleged that it being a case of “political vendetta”.