Overview
- The bench declared Hemang Shah’s May 17 airport arrest illegal and directed his immediate release from Arthur Road Jail.
- Justices Gauri V Godse and Somasekhar Sundaresan criticized the EOW for registering the FIR at 2:14 am on May 14 in ‘unholy haste.’
- Shah was held for nearly 30 hours before being produced in court, violating his rights under Article 22(2) of the Constitution.
- Court-reviewed chat messages indicated the arrest aimed to pressure Shah into settling a disputed family claim.
- The FIR stemmed from allegations by brother Mehul Shah that Hemang misappropriated proceeds from Anchor Electricals’ 2007 sale between 2020 and 2025.