MAHENDER CHAWLA vs STATE NCT OF DELHI

Judgment text excerpt

$~P-1 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI % Reserved on: 09.04.2026 Pronounced on: 30.04.2026 Uploaded on: 30.04.2026 + BAIL APPLN. 3345/2025 MAHENDER CHAWLA .....Petitioner Through: Mr. Nishank Tyagi, Mr. Mohd. Mubashir and Mr. Manmeet Verma, Advocates versus STATE NCT OF DELHI .....Respondent Through: Mr. Yudhvir Singh Chauhan, APP with SI Lakhan, PS EOW Mr. Deepak Vashisht, Advocate for Complainants. CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE PRATEEK JALAN JUDGMENT 1. By way of the present application, the applicant seeks regular bail in connection with FIR No. 349/2020 dated 01.10.2020, registered at Police Station South Rohini for offences punishable under Sections 420/406/120B of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 [“IPC”]. FACTS: 2. The prosecution has placed a status report dated 11.11.2025 on record, and the facts, as emerging therefrom, are as follows: a) For nearly two decades prior to the registration of the present FIR, the accused persons, Ms. Renu Chawla and her husband Mr. Mahender Chawla [applicant herein], had been organizing “Committees”, inducing approximately 150-200 persons to invest therein on assurances of high returns, while representing such Signature Not Verified Signed By:PARUL BAIL APPLN. 3345/2025 Page 1 of 16 VASHIST Signing Date:30.04.2026 20:01:34 schemes to be legitimate and risk-free. It is alleged that, in order to lend credibility to these schemes, the accused would display licences and certificates purporting to show that requisite approvals had been obtained. b) In the period preceding the registration of the FIR, certain transactions relating to immovable properties came to light. In particular, properties bearing Nos. 335 and 334, Pocket-19, Block- E, Sector-03, Rohini were sold on 21.07.2020, followed by the sale of properties bearing Nos. E-308