A Mumbai court has granted bail to Lieutenant Commander Vipin Dagar, an officer of the Indian Navy, who was arrested in connection with an alleged visa fraud case. The decision was made on November 25 by Additional Sessions Judge V M Pathade, who noted that Dagar had been in detention since June 2023 and that the trial had not yet commenced.
Dagar had been accused of possessing 14 Indian passports in different names, along with a stamp machine and 108 rubber stamps from various establishments. According to police, he used these items to create forged documents and assist co-accused individuals in obtaining visas and passports.
In addition to the possession of counterfeit documents, Dagar allegedly entered the Korean Embassy in his naval uniform and tried to pressure an officer, behaving in an inappropriate manner, which the prosecution claimed was unbecoming of a public servant.
The prosecution contended that the investigation had revealed significant evidence of Dagar’s active involvement in the alleged crime. However, Dagar’s defense lawyer, Sunil Pandey, argued that his client had been falsely implicated and that the police had not provided proper grounds for his arrest. The defense also highlighted that there was no concrete evidence to suggest that Dagar had personally benefitted from the alleged fraud.
Judge Pathade, after hearing both sides, acknowledged that the chargesheet had been filed and emphasized that Dagar had been in custody for several months without the trial beginning. With the trial still pending and no immediate prospect of its conclusion, the court granted Dagar bail, citing Supreme Court precedents in similar cases.
The court has set conditions for Dagar’s bail, and his release is subject to these terms being met.
Sources By Agencies
