The Supreme Court has cancelled the anticipatory bail granted to three Maharashtra Railway Police officers accused of misusing their official position and allegedly extracting money from a passenger during a railway station search operation. The Court held that the High Court failed to properly consider the seriousness of the allegations before granting protection from arrest.
Background of the Case
The case arose from an FIR registered at Mumbai Central Railway Police Station in August 2025. According to the complaint, a passenger travelling with his minor daughter was stopped during a security check at the railway station. During the search, police personnel found a gold bar weighing 14 grams and cash.
The complainant alleged that he, his daughter, and a relative were taken to a nearby room, where they were intimidated and pressured to hand over money in exchange for avoiding further action regarding the gold bar.
An Additional Sessions Judge had earlier rejected the officers’ plea for anticipatory bail. However, the Bombay High Court later granted them relief, relying on CCTV footage, delay in registration of the FIR, and the officers’ service records.
Court’s Observations
Hearing the State’s appeal, the bench of Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice K. Vinod Chandran closely examined the CCTV footage and the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Bench observed that the footage did not justify the High Court’s conclusion that the complainant and his companions showed no signs of distress. The Court noted that the group had been taken into a closed room without CCTV coverage and remained there long enough for the alleged misconduct to have occurred.
The Bench remarked,
“When law enforcers turn extortionists, the citizen looks askance and is left in a dilemma.”
The Court also found significance in the fact that the gold bar was ultimately returned without any formal legal process being initiated. According to the Bench, this aspect required thorough investigation rather than being treated as a factor favouring the accused officers.
Another concern highlighted by the Court was the alleged failure to follow standard operating procedures governing searches and verification of valuable items. The judges further expressed concern over the presence of a minor child during the episode and what they described as a lack of sensitivity shown by the officers.
Decision
Setting aside the High Court’s order, the Supreme Court cancelled the anticipatory bail granted to the three officers. The Bench held that the allegations involved possible abuse of official authority and required proper investigation, including custodial interrogation if necessary.
At the same time, the Court clarified that its observations were only prima facie in nature and limited to the question of anticipatory bail. It emphasized that the trial court would decide the criminal case independently on the basis of evidence produced during trial.
The appeal filed by the State of Maharashtra was accordingly allowed.
Case Details
Case Title: The State of Maharashtra v. Rahul Datta Bhosale & Ors.
Case Number: Criminal Appeal arising out of SLP (Crl.) No. 1760 of 2026
Judges: Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice K. Vinod Chandran
Decision Date: 27 May 2026
