Mumbai: A Mumbai court on Friday granted bail to Sunildas Prabhakaran, a self-proclaimed swami from Kerala, in a case involving the alleged cheating of a city-based philanthropist of Rs 5.5 crore. Additional Sessions Judge K R Deshpande of Borivali Court allowed the bail plea, noting that the chargesheet had been filed and the investigation was complete, making continued custody unnecessary. Prabhakaran was released on a bail bond of Rs 100,000.

The Alleged Fraud

Prabhakaran, founder of the Muthalamada Sneham Charitable Trust in Palakkad, was arrested on June 6, 2025, under IPC sections 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating). The complainant, A S Madhavan, 72, a Powai-based philanthropist and founder of the Warrier Foundation, alleged that in September 2018, Prabhakaran invited him to Kerala to receive an award and a Rs 25 crore cheque for his flood relief work. The award ceremony, held in Palakkad, was attended by a former ISRO chief who presented the award.

Days later, Prabhakaran claimed technical loan issues were blocking the cheque’s encashment and requested Rs 1.5 crore, followed by another Rs 4 crore. Madhavan transferred the total Rs 5.5 crore, but the Rs 25 crore cheque bounced. Despite repeated demands, the money was not returned.

Bail Arguments and the Court’s Ruling

In his bail application, Prabhakaran argued the dispute was civil, not criminal. The investigating officer opposed bail, citing four similar cheating cases against him in Kerala and the non-restitution of funds. However, the court ruled that with the investigation concluded, continued detention was unjustified.

With inputs from PTI