Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Bombay High Court at Goa has denied anticipatory bail to a man accused of forging court orders and misleading a complainant, stating that the nature of the allegations and available evidence require custodial interrogation.
Justice Neela Gokhale rejected the pre-arrest bail application of Craig Frank Jansen (alias Jansen Craig Frank) in connection with a case registered at Porvorim Police Station, directing him to surrender before the police within two weeks.
The case stems from a complaint filed in November 2024 by a woman, who alleged that her brother-in-law circulated fabricated High Court and trial court orders via WhatsApp through a co-accused. The forged documents reportedly claimed that criminal proceedings against the accused had been quashed and that the complainant had been penalised, while another document falsely indicated the issuance of an arrest warrant.
During the hearing, the prosecution argued that the documents were fake and supported its claims with digital evidence, including WhatsApp conversations, suggesting the accused’s involvement in creating and sharing the forged orders. It further told the court that the accused had failed to cooperate with the investigation despite repeated notices and had been absconding, leading to the issuance of a lookout notice.
Counsel for the complainant opposed the bail plea, contending that the accused had concealed key facts, including the withdrawal of earlier proceedings that sought to quash the FIR.
The defence, however, maintained that the matter arose out of a family dispute and claimed that the documents were circulated by a co-accused. It also cited the accused’s health condition and expressed willingness to cooperate with the probe.
In its order, the High Court highlighted the seriousness of the allegations and the accused’s lack of cooperation, concluding that he was not entitled to anticipatory bail.
