The court granted bail to the petitioners in economic offences, emphasizing the presumption of innocence and considering the nature of allegations and duration of custody.

JUDGMENT :

G. Satapathy, J.

1. Since these five bail applications arise out of one and same case record, the same are heard together and disposed of by this common order with the consent of the learned counsel for the parties. 5

2. These five bail applications are U/S.483 of BNS S by the petitioners for grant of bail in connection with Economic Offence PS Case No.17 of 2025 arising out of GR Case No.1757 of 2025 for commission of offences punishable U/Ss. 318(4)/319(2) of r/w Section 66 (D) of the IT Act pending in the Court of learned SDJM, Angul.

3. The gist of the allegation as found out from the FIR is that the complainant was duped with a sum of Rs. 52,26,000/- by way of cyber fraud and he had deposited the aforesaid sum of money in five different current accounts on the allurement of getting high returns, but the complainant had also deposited an amount of Rs. 11,00,000/- & Rs. 10,00,000/- in SRP traders account, but subsequently, a sum of Rs. 2,00,000/- was transferred to the account of DBL foundation standing in the joint account of the Petitioners Dillip Kumar Lenka & Bijaya Kumar Jena. It is also found from the record that the Petitioner Chittaranjan Muduli had mediated between the Petitioners Dillip Kumar Lenka & Bijay Kumar Jena, and Krupasindhu Maharana, but Krupasinndhu Maharana was instigating them to open current accounts in different Banks in order to facilitate transfer of fraud money on payment of certain commission and accordingly, Dillip Kumar Lenka had opened a joint account with the Petitioner Bijaya Kumar Jena in the name of DBL foundation in Axis Bank and this is the circumstance under which the present Petitioners were implicated in this case and taken into custody and thereby, they are before this Court in these bail applications.

4. Heard, Mr. Smruti Ranjan Rout, learned counsel for the Petitioners in BLAPL Nos. 11282, 11435 & 11942 of 2025; Mr. Pratik Dash, learned counsel for the Petitioner in BLAPL No. 11577 of 2025; Mr. Rakesh Behera, learned counsel for the Petitioner in BLAPL No. 11698 of 2025 and Mr. M.R. Patra, learned Addl. PP in the matter and perused the record.

5. After having considered the rival submission upon perusal of record, primarily the main allegation is against SRP traders in whose account a sum of Rs. 52 Lakhs and some odd amount has been transferred, but the allegation against the present Petitioners Dillip Kumar Lenka and Bijaya Kumar Jena is for receiving Rs. 2 Lakhs in their joint account, however, the Petitioner Chittaranjan Muduli has been alleged to have mediated among the other Petitioners and instigated them to open fake accounts. Further, the Petitioners are in custody since 01.10.2025 and in the meantime, charge sheet has already been submitted, but the offences alleged against the Petitioners are triable by Magistrate and do not prescribe punishment for imprisonment for life or death. In the aforesaid facts and circumstance and taking into consideration the nature and gravity of the offences as alleged against the petitioners vis-a-vis the accusations sought to be brought against them and regard being had to the pre-trial detention of the petitioners in custody and taking into account the other circumstances on record in entirety including the inherent right of the accused persons to be presumed innocent until proven guilty at the trial, this Court without expressing any view on merits admits the Petitioners to bail.

6. Hence, all these five bail applications of the Petitioners namely Chittaranjan Muduli, Bijaya Kumar Jena, Krupasindhu Moharana, Md. Nishar Alam & Dillip Kumar Lenka in BLAPL Nos. 11282, 11435, 11577, 11698 and 11942 of 2025 stand allowed and they are allowed to g