Order on Board

24.04.2026

1 The applicant has preferred this First Bail Application under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for grant of regular bail, as he has been arrested in connection with Crime No.273/2024, registered at Police Station – Pandari, District- Raipur (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Sections 318(4) read with Section 3(5) of BNS.

2 The case of the prosecution, in brief, is that the complainant, namely Anchit Kumar Sinha, lodged an FIR before the concerned Police Station stating therein that the present applicant and other co-accused persons had made transactions amounting to Rs. 30,52,700/- from the accounts of the complianant and his mother, Smt. Urmila Sinha. On the basis of the said complaint, the aforementioned crime has been registered and a charge sheet has been filed before the concerned Court.

3 Learned counsel for the applicant submits that the applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the present case. It is submitted that the applicant has neither committed nor participated in any act constituting the alleged offences and that the evidence collected by the prosecution does not disclose any prima facie case against him. It is further submitted that the applicant has been implicated merely on the basis of suspicion and his memorandum statement, while the main accused is one Ms. Kruti, in whose account the transactions were primarily carried out. It is also submitted that the name of the present applicant does not find mention in the FIR. The applicant is a poor person engaged in the business of vegetables and it is alleged that an amount of Rs. 5,00,000/- was transferred into his account by the complainant through online transaction, whereas the remaining amount was taken by the co-accused persons, namely Kruti and Ravi Agrawal, who are presently absconding. It is further submitted that the co-accused persons have committed the alleged fraud and withdrew money from the account of the present applicant without his knowledge. In his memorandum statement, the applicant has stated that he had handed over his ATM card, cheque book, corporate ID, user ID, transaction password and mobile SIM to the co-accused persons, for which he was paid a sum of Rs. 25,000/-. It is further submitted that the applicant is in custody since 07.02.2026 and the trial is likely to take considerable time to conclude, therefore, considering his prolonged detention, he may be enlarged on regular bail.

4 On the other hand, learned State counsel opposes the prayer for grant of bail and submits that the present case involves serious allegations of financial fraud involving a substantial amount of Rs. 30,52,700/-, which has been siphoned off through fraudulent transactions. It is submitted that the investigation has revealed the active involvement of the present applicant in facilitating the commission of the offence by providing his bank account and other financial credentials to the co-accused persons. He further submits that the applicant, in his memorandum statement, has himself admitted that he had handed over his ATM card, cheque book, user ID, transaction password and mobile SIM to the co-accused persons in lieu of monetary consideration, which clearly establishes his complicity and conscious involvement in the alleged crime. It is further contended that the applicant cannot escape liability by merely stating lack of knowledge, as his conduct demonstrates that he knowingly enabled the co-accused to carry out the fraudulent transactions. It is also submitted that the co-accused persons, namely Kruti and Ravi Agrawal, are still absconding, and there is a strong likelihood that, if released on bail, the applicant may tamper with the prosecution evidence or influence the witnesses. He further submits that considering the gravity and nature of the offence, the manner in which it has been committed and the material collected during investigation, a prima fa