Bail conditions can't be tool of harassment

The Bombay high court has struck down the restrictions on bail granted to Abhay Lodha, promoter of Topworth Steels and Power Pvt Ltd (TSPPL), which barred him from travelling outside Mumbai without prior permission of the court.

- Karuna Nidhi

MUMBAI: Such onerous conditions that unduly restrict an individual's movement defeat the very purpose of granting bail, the court said while asserting that bail conditions should not become a tool of harassment, especially when the accused show willingness to cooperate with legal proceedings.

Lodha, who is accused of defrauding IDBI Bank of ₹60.28 crore, was granted bail by the high court on September 10, 2024 on condition that he would not travel outside the city during pendency of proceedings before the special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court.