Extortion Case File Vanishes, Then Reappears
• Justice Delayed: File Lost, Found After SIT Report
• Nashik Court File Mystery Deepens
• File Lost, Accused Relax: Judicial Mess Exposed
Unmesh Gujarathi
Sprouts News Exclusive
Contact: +91 9322755098
A crucial extortion case file went missing from Nashik District Court, delaying legal proceedings. After a Sprouts SIT report exposed the lapse, the file mysteriously resurfaced. Allegations of internal collusion and possible financial dealings have emerged, raising serious questions about judicial transparency, staff accountability, and manipulation of due legal process.
File Goes Missing in Extortion Case, Surfaces After Media Exposé
A shocking episode of administrative lapse has rocked the Nashik District and Sessions Court after a case file related to a high-profile extortion matter mysteriously disappeared from Junior Court No. 2 on July 23, only to resurface a day later following coverage by the Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT).
According to court sources, the complainant in the extortion case had submitted an official request for the certified copy of the charge sheet. The court manager later informed the complainant via phone that the file had been “found.” However, suspicions remain over how the file, reportedly missing for nearly a month, conveniently turned up only after SIT’s investigative report highlighted the irregularity.
Legal observers and court staff are now openly speculating whether this was a case of genuine oversight—or a calculated move to shield the accused from judicial action.
Click Here To Download the News Attachment
Timeline Reveals Pattern of Delay and Evasion
The extortion case involves five accused—Uday Kisan Pawar, Laxmi Uday Pawar, Sagar Gupta, Ketaki alias Bali Gupta, and Mahananda Survase—against whom an FIR was registered in December 2024 at Mhasrul Police Station. The investigation concluded with the police filing a detailed charge sheet.
The first court hearing was scheduled on June 21, 2025, where summons were issued. Notably, on June 26, Mumbai Naka Police served summons to Uday and Laxmi Pawar. Laxmi Pawar acknowledged the summons and confirmed her intent to appear before the court on July 23.
However, on June 27, the complainant’s counsel requested a certified copy of the charge sheet, only to be informed that the file was “missing.” Repeated follow-ups with court staff yielded the same response—file not found. Even on the hearing date, July 23, staff reiterated the absence of the case file to Presiding Judge S.K. Devkar, leading him to defer the hearing by two months and restricting arguments to be made only by the public prosecutor.
This chain of events has intensified suspicion about internal manipulation.
Legal System Undermined by Suspected Collusion
The sudden “discovery” of the missing file after Sprouts SIT’s exposé has fueled concerns about the integrity of Nashik’s judicial administration. The fact that the file remained untraceable for over four weeks, and then surfaced within 24 hours of media coverage, suggests possible interference intended to benefit the accused.
Sprouts SIT sources confirm that at least one of the accused is a practicing lawyer, while another has a legal education—raising questions about their understanding of judicial loopholes. Additionally, just days before the court appearance, the accused were reportedly seen in Pune visiting relatives, indicating no urgency to comply with legal summons.
The bigger concern lies in how this systemic vulnerability can be misused to delay justice or mislead the judiciary. Court insiders whispered concerns of monetary transactions influencing the disappearance, although no formal complaint has been registered yet.
Missing File, Missing Justice?
With the complainant still awaiting a certified copy and none of the five accused present in court on the scheduled date, the episode signals a deeper rot within court procedures. Legal experts argue that tampering with or hiding files on crucial hearing dates severely undermines the legal process, especially in criminal matters involving serious charges like extortion.
If the file had remained “lost,” the case could not legally proceed, effectively allowing the accused to evade justice. Sprouts SIT strongly emphasizes that such practices point to not just clerical negligence but potential judicial sabotage.
Multiple legal activists are now demanding an independent inquiry into how and why the file disappeared, and whether Nashik court staff were complicit. The complainant’s lawyers have formally requested transparency in the file-tracking process and immediate administrative accountability.
Also Read: Supreme Court Rules: Police Can’t Serve Accused Notices via WhatsApp or Other Electronic Means.
Related Article: Extortion Case File Vanishes – Judicial Scandal Erupts.
Questions Raised, Action Awaited
This is not just an incident of administrative delay—it’s a potential breach of justice delivery. Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) urges the Maharashtra Judicial Services Commission and Bombay High Court to take suo motu cognizance of the matter. With mounting public distrust in court procedures, it’s crucial that judicial sanctity is not compromised by procedural manipulation or internal collusion.
As whispers of a cover-up and possible cash-for-silence deals circulate within the court premises, the question remains: Will accountability follow, or will this too be buried under bureaucratic silence?
