Order on Board

29.04.2026

1. This is the first bail application filed under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Narik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short ‘BNSS’) for grant of regular bail to the applicant who has been arrested in connection with Crime No.763/2025 registered at Police Station - City Kotwali, Baloda Bazar, District - Balodabazar-Bhatapara (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Sections 317(4), 318(4) and 61(2) (a) of BNS and Section 66 D of IT Act

2. As per the prosecution story, the Cyber Cell Officer issued a letter to the concerned Police Officer regarding a mule account, stating that certain persons had used bank accounts opened in the names of Laxmi Traders and Mahalaxmi Traders, both owned and operated by proprietor Laxmi Narayan Patel. It is alleged that unknown persons misused the said accounts and carried out transactions involving huge sums of money through them. On the basis of the said information, the police registered the present crime against the applicant.

3. Learned counsel appearing for the applicant submits that the applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the present case. It is further submitted that the applicant is sole bread earner of the family and the entire family members are depended upon the applicant, further the charge-sheet has been submitted in this case, the applicant has no previous criminal antecedents and he is in jail since 29.09.2025, and the conclusion of the trial shall take quite long time. Therefore, he prays for grant of bail.

4. On the other hand, learned State counsel opposes the bail application and submits that as per the material available on record, it transpires that the applicant is alleged to have opened and operated a bank account used as a mule account for routing proceeds of cyber fraud, he is accused of acting in conspiracy with co-accused persons, facilitating illegal online betting/trading activities, and allowing his account to be used for large-scale fraudulent transactions, he received commission from the fraud proceeds and is a beneficiary of the crime & investigation indicates his involvement in an organized cyber crime syndicate, with transactions of about Rs.6.80 crores linked to 61 complaints from victims across various states, in view of the nature and gravity of the offence, further the fact that regular bail application of the co-accused Anil Kurre has been rejected by this Court in MCRC No.381/2026 on 06/02/2026 and the bail applications of other two co-accused persons, namely, Ishwari Prasad @ Vivek Patel and Laxminarayan Patel has already been rejected by this Court vide order dated 22.04.2026 passed in MCRC No. 2397/2026 and 2690/2026. As such, the present bail application deserves to be rejected.

5. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the case diary.

6. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, submission of learned counsel for the parties, materials available on record, further considering the fact that the applicant is alleged to have opened and operated a bank account used as a mule account for routing proceeds of cyber fraud, he is accused of acting in conspiracy with co-accused persons, facilitating illegal online betting/trading activities, and allowing his account to be used for large-scale fraudulent transactions, he received commission from the fraud proceeds and is a beneficiary of the crime and investigation indicates his involvement in an organized cybercrime syndicate, with transactions of about Rs.6.80 crores linked to 61 complaints from victims across various states, in view of the nature and gravity of the offence and further considering the fact that regular bail application of the co-accused Anil Kurre has been rejected by this Court in MCRC No.381/2026 on 06/02/2026 and the bail applications of other two co-accused persons, namely, Ishwari Prasad @ Vivek Patel and Laxminarayan Patel has already been rejected by this Court vide order dat