Over three years after Mumbai Police Crime Branch busted a group that would allegedly help persons arrested in criminal cases in securing bail by producing surety on the basis of fake documents, the investigators have learnt that there were 254 other instances in which fake guarantors were produced to ensure the accused are release from jail. Sources said that after uncovering the scam in 2018, the Crime Branch set up a special team to identify more such persons who had secured bail with the help of such fraudsters. As per the statistics furnished by Mumbai Police, officers have identified 254 such individuals, who produced surety in courts and did not submit original documents. Of them, 106 have been arrested. The police are trying to locate the remaining 148. Surety is someone who takes guarantee on behalf of a person, arrested in a criminal case, that he will remain present for future court proceedings. A senior officer said the members of the group often loiter around courts in Mumbai. They would approach the arrested person or their relatives and produce surety in courts on the basis of bogus documents. “As per law, the court directs the local police station to verify the authenticity of the surety. However, the group would say that they themselves would submit documents at the police station. but they would not go the police station and submit their documents for verification. They would go back to the court saying that they have completed due process and submit a (false) report at court claiming that the police inspector has verified their surety," said an officer. The group was asking for Rs 15,000 to Rs 50,000 depending upon the paying capacity of the client. Following the arrest of eight persons in 2018, the Crime Branch raided the gang's office in Chembur, leading to the seizure of a printer, a scanner machine, a laptop, 55 pen drives, duplicate rubber seals, 78 forged ration cards, 92 blank forms for ration cards, 55 bogus identity card of companies, 59 bogus company's payment slip, 12 photocopies of marksheets, eight letters by sessions court to senior inspectors for physical verification of surety, five forged physical verification reports prepared in the name of inspectors, certificates of schools and colleges, seven bogus letterheads of companies, four bogus leaving certificates and blank leaving certificates. The Crime Branch then set up a team to identify other persons involved in the scam. During probe, it realised that 254 such fake guarantors had presented themselves before court. As many as 34 such instances occurred in courts under the jurisdiction of Colaba police station, 11 under Azad Maidan, 22 under MRA Marg police station, 13 under DB Marg police station, 23 under RAK Marg police station, 15 under Bhoiwada police station, 10 under Kurla police station, 12 under Vikhroli police station and 20 under Mulund police station. In western and northern suburbs, 23 such cases were reported in courts that fell in the jurisdiction of Nirmal Nagar police station, 10 under Andheri police station, four under Borivali police station and 57 under Kurar police station. “Of the 254, 106 people have been arrested. 74 apprehended by the respective police stations while 32 were arrested by the Crime Branch," said an officer.
