Akhtar Shahadat Shaikh, convicted in an economic offence, has been granted bail by the Special CBI Court in Mumbai while his appeal against conviction is pending.
On January 4, 2024, the Special Judge for CBI cases, S.P. Naik-Nimbalkar, allowed bail for Akhtar Shahadat Shaikh, who was convicted for offenses under sections 120B, 420, 467, 468, and 471 of the IPC. Shaikh, who had been on bail throughout the trial, appealed his conviction from December 5, 2023, by the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate.
The prosecution argued against bail, fearing Shaikh might abscond, given the serious nature of the economic crimes involved. However, the court noted that Shaikh had no criminal antecedents and maintained strong societal ties, thus not likely to jump bail. The judge decided to suspend the sentence, allowing Shaikh bail on a personal bond and surety of Rs.15,000 each, with conditions to attend all appeal hearings and cooperate with the judicial process.
This ruling highlights the balance courts aim to maintain between ensuring justice and protecting the rights of individuals to appeal their convictions without undue incarceration.