2025:CGHC:61331 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 9383 of 2025 Tikam Patel S/o Ishwer Patel Aged About 49 Years R/o Ward No. 1, Sikosa, P.S.- Gunderdehi, District- Balod C.G.

... Applicant versus State of Chhattisgarh Through - P.S.- Gunderdehi, District- Balod C.G.

... Non-Applicant For Applicant : Mr. Hemant Gupta, Advocate For Non-Applicant/State : Mr. U.K.S. Chandel, Deputy A.G.

Hon'ble Mr. Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice

Order on Board

16.12.2025

1. This is the First bail application filed under Section 483 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, for grant of regular bail to the applicant who has been arrested in connection with Crime No. 173/2025 registered at Police Station – Gunderdehi, District- Balod, (C.G.), for the offence punishable under Sections 420, 413, 120B of the Indian Penal Code, 1860.

2. Case of the prosecution, in brief, is that a sum of Rs.1,75,97,918/-

was deposited in the bank account of the present applicant between 15.06.2023 and 28.05.2024. However, the police have implicated the applicant along with other co-accused and alleged RAHUL DEWANGAN commission of the offence. Consequently, F.I.R. No. 173/2025 was Digitally signed by RAHUL DEWANGAN registered against the accused persons for the offences punishable under Sections 413, 420 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code.

Hence, this bail application.

3. Learned counsel for the applicant submits that the applicant has been falsely implicated in the present crime, which has never been committed by him. It is contended that merely because the bank account stands in the name of the applicant, the same by itself does not establish his involvement, as the applicant has neither operated the said account for any illegal purpose nor derived any benefit from the alleged transactions. The applicant has not played any active or passive role in the commission of the alleged offence and has no past criminal antecedents. It is further submitted that no specific allegation has been made to the effect that the applicant utilized any portion of the alleged amount, and in similar circumstances, the co- accused namely Khublal Sinha has already been granted bail by this Hon’ble Court in MCRC No. 5957/2025 vide order dated 13.10.2025, a copy whereof is annexed as Annexure A/3 for kind perusal. He further submits that on the face of the FIR, there is no direct complainant and the crime has been registered merely on the basis of assumptions of the A.S.I./In-charge, Police Station Gunderdehi. The applicant is a law-abiding citizen and the sole bread-earner of his family. The case is based purely on documentary evidence, all of which is already in possession of the prosecution, and therefore no custodial interrogation of the applicant is required. Hence, he prays for grant of regular bail to the present applicant.

4. On the other hand, learned State Counsel vehemently opposes the bail application and submits that the subject case came up for hearing before this Hon’ble Court on 20.11.2025 and after hearing the parties, this Hon’ble Court was pleased to direct the concerned Investigating Officer to file his personal affidavit demonstrating the evidence collected during the course of investigation against the present applicant, pursuant to which the instant affidavit has been filed for kind perusal and consideration of this Hon’ble Court. It is respectfully submitted that the investigation has been conducted on the basis of complaints received through the Cyber Crime Reporting Portal established by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, which revealed an organised cyber fraud racket operating through mule bank accounts. During investigation, it was found that within a short span of time, a huge amount of Rs.1,75,97,918/- was credited into the IDFC First Bank Account No. 10143806387 of the present accused applicant, while the remaining amount was routed through the account of co-accused Khublal Sinha, thereby bringing the total fraud amount to Rs.1,76,25,79