The Gujarat High Court has granted regular bail to a woman accused in a case arising from allegations linked to a marriage bureau. The Court took note of her alleged role, the completion of the investigation and the fact that the charge-sheet had already been filed.
Justice Hasmukh D. Suthar passed the order on August 25, 2026, while hearing the regular bail application filed after the charge-sheet.
Background of the Case
The case relates to an FIR registered as C.R. No. 11209016260284 of 2026 at Himmatnagar “A” Division Police Station, Sabarkantha. The applicant was booked under Sections 316(2), 316(5), 61(2) and 54 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
According to the allegations recorded in the order, the applicant and her husband were running a marriage bureau named “Divya Shakti”. The complainant had approached the bureau for arranging the marriage of his nephew.
The allegations stated that ₹2.10 lakh was received towards brokerage. The order further records an allegation concerning another amount and refers to a total brokerage amount of ₹5.10 lakh.
The applicant's advocate argued that she was innocent, that the investigation was complete and that the charge-sheet had been filed. It was also submitted that nothing remained to be recovered or discovered from her.
Court’s Observation
The State opposed bail, citing the gravity of the allegations and raising the possibility that the applicant could flee from justice.
After examining the investigation papers, the High Court found that the applicant's alleged role appeared limited. The Court observed:
“If we accept the said allegation as it is, even though role of present applicant is limited to give promise or to solemnize the marriage of nephew of the complainant.”
The Court further noted that no role had been attributed to her as a member of the alleged “looteri dulhan gang” and that no other allegation was revealed against her in the material considered at the bail stage.
The Court also considered that the applicant was a woman who had been in custody since March 27, 2026. Although she had past antecedents, the Court stressed that she was presumed innocent until proven guilty. It also noted that the investigation was over and the trial would take time to conclude.
Decision
Referring to Supreme Court decisions in Sanjay Chandra v. Central Bureau of Investigation and Gudikanti Narasimhulu v. Public Prosecutor, the High Court reiterated the principle that “bail is a rule and jail is exception”, along with the protection of personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution.
The Court concluded that, without examining the evidence in detail, the matter was a fit case for exercising its discretion in favour of bail.
The application was therefore allowed. The applicant was ordered to be released on regular bail on executing a personal bond of ₹25,000 with one surety for the same amount, subject to conditions including not leaving Gujarat without permission, surrendering her passport if any, and marking her presence at the concerned police station once every month for six months.
The Court clarified that its preliminary observations would not influence the trial court while deciding the case on evidence.
Case Details
Case Title: Kavitaben Manharlal @ Manoj Babulal Soni v. State of Gujarat
Case Number: R/Criminal Misc. Application (For Regular Bail - After Chargesheet) No. 19815 of 2026
Judge: Hon’ble Mr. Justice Hasmukh D. Suthar
Decision Date: 25 August 2026
