SANJAY PANDURANG SINGHAN vs STATE OF MAHARASHTRA AND ANR

Judgment text excerpt

2025:BHC-AS:55772-DB apl 568 of 2024-2.doc IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CRIMINAL APPLICATION NO.568 OF 2024 Sanjay Pandurang Singhan ... Applicant versus The State of Maharashtra and Anr. … Respondents Mr. Viral Rathod with Ms. Shivani Shinde, for Applicant. Mrs. R.S.Tendulkar, APP for State. Mr. Sahil Choudhari, for Respondent No.2. Mr. Devidas Pokale, Kasturba Marg Police Station present. CORAM: N.J.JAMADAR, J. RESERVED ON : 27 NOVEMBER 2025 PRONOUNCED ON : 16 DECEMBER 2025 JUDGMENT : 1. By this application under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (‘the Code’), the Applicant seeks quashing of the Criminal Proceedings being CC No.1171/PW/2025, arising out of C.R.No.213 of 2024 registered at Kasturba Marg Police Station, and the order of cognizance dated 5 March 2025 passed by the learned Magistrate, 68 th Court, Borivali, Mumbai, thereby issuing the process against the Applicant for an offence punishable under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (‘the Penal Code’). 2. Shorn of unnecessary details, the background facts leading to this application can be stated as under : 2.1 The Applicant is a social worker and husband of a former Corporator affiliated to a police party. The first informant (R2) was also holding the office SSP (corrected judgment as per Speaking to Minutes of Order dt. 17 Dec. 2025). 1/16 apl 568 of 2024-2.doc of the Deputy Chief of a local unit of the said political party. On 12 March 2023, a meeting of the workers of the said local unit was organized at Garden Hall, Near Phulpakharu Ground, Devipada, Borivali. After the meeting was over, the first informant (R2) was discussing the issues with Mrs. Madhuri Khanvilkar, a Coordinator of the local Unit of the said political party, in the