Rejection of the non-bailable warrant against Arjun Rampal in the tax evasion case

The non-bailable warrant in the case of actor Arjun Rampal for alleged tax evasion in 2019 has been quashed by the Bombay High Court. Today, on Wednesday, the Bombay High Court has quashed the local court order for the actor issuing a non-bailable warrant in the same case. The order for the non-bailable warrant has been termed mechanical and cryptic by the High Court.

The vacation bench of Justice Advait Sethna observed that the order of the magistrate was against the law and was issued without contemplation. The magistrate court issued a non-bailable warrant against actor Arjun Rampal in the 2019 case the I-T department had launched against him for an offence under the Income Tax Act, specifically under Section 276C (2). Arjun approached the High Court against the order passed by the magistrate court on 9th April.

The section under which Arjun Rampal is booked deals with a person who deliberately attempts to evade payment of tax, penalty, or interest. According to the actor's plea, his lawyer had moved an application for exemption from appearance before the magistrate. However, the court rejected it and issued a non-bailable warrant against Arjun Rampal.

In the order, Justice Sethna said that the offence for which actor Arjun Rampal has been accused attracts a maximum sentence of three years and is a bailable offence. The High Court said that the magistrate court did not consider it. The High Court said that the order issuing a non-bailable warrant against the actor for a bailable offence was passed 'mechanically'.