Mumbai News: Tardeo Businessman Denied Bail In ₹14 Crore Cheating Case

Mumbai: The sessions court has refused to grant bail to a businessman from Tardeo in a Rs 14 crore cheating case.

About The Case

The accused, Birju Salla, was in the news in connection with a case lodged in Gujarat for allegedly placing a note to threaten to hijack a flight in 2017. Salla was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by the special court, but subsequently, he was acquitted by the Gujarat High Court in August 2023.

After the acquittal, Salla went back to his family business, dealing in silver jewellery. However, earlier this year, he was booked by the Economic Offences Wing for cheating and arrested on July 2. As per the case details, on November 18, 2024, Salla approached one Shailesh Jain, with whom he had family relations, seeking antique gold ornaments, silver utensils, and gems for sale. Jain supplied the valuables for Rs 14 crore on the basis of approval vouchers.

Over a month, Salla returned valuables worth Rs 1.47 crore to Jain but allegedly did not return the remaining worth Rs 12.76 crores, nor paid their price. While refusing to grant anticipatory bail, the court said, “The applicant had earlier come with the case of obtaining his signatures forcefully on the said approval vouchers, but remained silent and did not take any steps to file a complaint. Prima facie, material on record shows that he had taken ornaments… and did not return valuables worth Rs12.76 crore…”