The Gujarat High Court has dismissed a bail application of a college professor accused of seeking sexual favours from his student. The High Court noted that the WhatsApp chats clearly reflected inappropriate demands having been made by him to the victim student.

The High Court was considering an application filed under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, for enlarging the applicant on regular bail in a case registered under Sections 75(2) and 78(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. It was alleged that the applicant professor sought sexual favours from his student.

The Single Bench of Justice Nikhil S. Kariel stated, “It also appears that copy of the chats have been placed on record and whereas the chats clearly reflect inappropriate demands having been made by the present applicant to the victim.”

“Having considered the above since it appears to this Court that the present applicant, being a professor of a college, had prima facie sought inappropriate sexual favours from the victim, who was his student and whereas since there appears to be enough material which has been collected by the Investigating Officer, in support of the allegation and also having regard to the fact that the present does not appear to be a case of delayed trial, rather it appears to be a case of the machinery of the Court having moved efficiently and well within time, more particularly though the applicant was arrested on 26.11.2025 and whereas by now, the trial has commenced and even the complainant as noticed hereinabove has been examined on 09.03.2026”, it ordered.

Advocate Mahammadtohid M. Sindhi represented the Applicant while Advocate Dilbur Contractor represented the Respondent.

Reasoning

The Bench, at the outset, termed the offence as serious. Reference was made to a document in the nature of an apology letter by the present applicant, a day before his arrest, addressed to the principal of the college. The applicant had sought an apology for his inappropriate behaviour and also the inappropriate chats with the students, including the present victim.

The Bench further found that the applicant was pressurising the victim to come to his chamber and enter into a relationship with him. The Bench also noted that the applicant was pressuring another student to come to his chamber. The WhatsApp chats reflected that after a voice call made by the present applicant, the concerned student had blocked his mobile number.

Thus, holding that releasing the applicant when the trial is at large might result in adverse consequences, the Bench dismissed the application.

Cause Title: Manishkumar Shivlal Chauhan v. State of Gujarat (Neutral Citation: 2026:GUJHC:23449)

Appearance

Petitioner: Advocates Mahammadtohid M. Sindhi, Minhaj M Shaikh

Respondent: Advocate Dilbur Contractor, Additional Public Prosecutor J K Shah

Click here to read/download Order


Gujarat High CourtJustice Nikhil S Kariel

Tulip Kanth

Assistant Editor

Tulip Kanth is an Assistant Editor at Verdictum having over 5 years of experience in the field of legal journalism and editing. She extensively covers judgments of the Supreme Court, High Courts as well as Tribunals. She has previously worked with a legal publishing website where she oversaw the work of other editors and has also created updates on notifications of different Government Ministries. She holds an English Honours Degree from SGTB Khalsa College, Delhi University and has completed her LLB course with specialisation in Corporate Law from Amity University.