Theft of 21 iPhones from godown: Flipkart employees granted anticipatory bail

S Shyam Prasad | NT

Bengaluru: The High Court has granted bail to a manager and assistant manager at Flipkart who were allegedly responsible for the theft of 22 iPhones from the godown of the company. The complaint was filed on August 4, 2022 against CV Raghavendra and Srirama Nandhina, the manager and assistant manager of Flipkart at the Malur police station in Kolar.

The case is pending before the JFMC court in Malur. The crime against them is alleged under Section 381 of the Indian Penal Code (theft by a clerk or servant). The two approached the HC seeking bail, which was heard by Justice Rajendra Badamikar.

The petition claimed that the complaint was filed by the security supervisor of Flipkart KK Chandrakhanth. It was alleged that 21 iPhone 12s were stolen from the godown, and CCTV footage revealed the manager and the deputy involved in sorting out these phones and therefore the suspicion was on them.

The government advocate pointed out that the CCTV footage showed the two sorting out and handling the phones. The counsel for the two accused, however, contended that it was their duty to regularly check the goods in the godown. He also pointed out that it was the duty of the security officer who filed the complaint to prevent any thefts.

Persons who entered the godown were checked while entering and exiting. So it was up to the security officer to explain what happened to the 21 missing iPhones. A departmental enquiry had also been initiated against the manager and the assistant manager. The HC directed the two accused to be enlarged on bail in the event of their arrest for the crime.

They were directed to furnish a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh each. The accused were also ordered not to indulge in similar offences and make “themselves available to the investigating Officer for interrogation whenever called for during the course of investigation.”