On April 1, 2015 the Supreme Court (SC) of India granted anticipatory bail until further orders to karate exponent Vispy Kapadia who has been embroiled in a forgery case. Kapadia had challenged the rejection of pre-arrest bail by the Bombay High Court, reported The Times of India on April 2, 2015.
Senior jurist Fali Nariman, who appeared for Kapadia in the SC seeking relief for his client in the matter, argued that this was a "false” case and had its origins in the factional feuds in relation to the administration of sports bodies such as the Maharashtra Karate Association and the All India Karate Federation, reported Daily News and Analysis (DNA) on April 4, 2015.
While granting relief, the SC directed Kapadia to cooperate with the police and not tamper with evidence. "In the event of arrest by police, the petitioner (Kapadia) shall be released on furnishing a bond of Rs 20,000,” noted the bench headed by Justice T. S. Thakur, reported DNA.
The allegation was that in order to win the Maharashtra Utkrusht Krida Margdarshak Puraskar award for 2008-2009 Kapadia had submitted nine forged certificates confirming the achievements of his students to bolster his claim (see "Kapadia’s legal battles,” Events and Personalities, Parsiana, November 7, 2014).