$~2 & 3 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI % Date of Decision: 13.03.2026 + BAIL APPLN. 3115/2024 PRATIBHA THAKUR .....Petitioner Through: Mr. Gaurav Arora, Advocate.

versus GOVT OF NCT DELHI THROUGH SHO PS VIJAY VIHAR .....Respondent Through: Mr. Sanjeev Sabharwal, APP for State IO/SI Arun Kumar.

+ BAIL APPLN. 3508/2024 NITIN KAUSHIK .....Petitioner Through: Mr. Rana Sandeep and Mr. Vivek Pahan, Advocates.

versus GOVT OF NCT OF DELHI .....Respondent Through: Mr. Sanjeev Sabharwal, APP for State IO/SI Arun Kumar.

CORAM: JUSTICE GIRISH KATHPALIA J U D G M E N T (ORAL)

1. The accused/applicants seek anticipatory bail in case FIR No. 349/2021 of Police Station Vijay Vihar for offence under Section

420/463/464/465/468 IPC.

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2. These anticipatory bail applications came up for the first hearing on 30.08.2024 and 27.09.2024 before the predecessor bench and thereafter continued getting adjourned before different benches. Initially, the predecessor bench granted protection to the accused/applicants from arrest but subsequently, on being informed that the accused/applicants were in jail in connection with another case, the protection was revoked. Thereafter, vide order dated 15.05.2025, the predecessor bench restored the protection from arrest, which protection continued on date to date basis before different predecessor benches. Thereafter, along with 179 such old pending bail applications, these applications also were transferred to this bench and today is the first hearing before me.

3. The interim protection repeatedly granted to the accused/applicants was subject to their joining the investigation. But at the outset, learned APP on instructions of IO/SI Arun Kumar submits that in response to every question, the accused/applicants express that they do not remember anything and baldly deny everything.

4. I have heard both learned counsel for accused/applicants and learned APP for State as well as the victims of this fraud, who have appeared personally.

5. Broadly speaking, allegation against the accused/applicants is as follows. The accused Pratibha Thakur and the accused Nitin Kaushik collected almost Rs. 12,00,000/- from gullible individuals, assuring to get D B Si y i g g :D i n ta a I l K t l u y S r H S e i A g N n R o ed A t V W e A ri T fied G KA IR T I H SH P ALIA DD25ops0,D e c .6 9 uo iN a 5 n r g 9 9 =s t i .: = 4 a i e t a 6 t H c al . :G f a b 2 N = 3 lI 2 l CG 4I 0I 9 u R0 yN 0 o = H6 m 2I f s S , d 82 6 8 i C o H be g 4c . 0 = 0 O=e 06 n cK3 H r 1f 1U e bA = b . d 1 1 Id d R G 4 T d0 d 3 2 T b H 8 3 H 0 8 e 1 3 y O e P 0 8 e 7 C 5 8 A 3 G F 9 e : O d 6 5 , L b 6 I D4 7 R s 7 U I 2 0A tE3 9 I : R = 7 4 5 S L 5 6 H a 0 T 7 DHf 4 7 2 9 O - e5 I K 7 c 0 7,lC 1 AF 4 h b 7 6 e I 8 T i ' 22D D 0 ,c 7 H f6 4 E 0 6 - 9 c P 5 L ' 5 7 6 a AH c f 0c 50 LI c4 f , 7 I a A 7 e 8b ,6 4 05 3 a 1d f 8 e e 1 , 2 c 56 4 5f 5 7a them a job in the railways department.

5.1 The FIR was registered on the statement of one such defrauded person Govind, who was introduced to the accused Pratibha Thakur and the accused Nitin Kaushik and they assured to get him recruited in railway department subject to being paid money. The accused Pratibha Thakur called Govind to her residence and showed him certain appointment letters and joining letters. 5.2 On being induced by the accused Pratibha Thakur, three victims agreed to