ORDER

These bail applications are filed by the petitioners apprehending arrest in Crime Nos.12/2024 of Cyber Crime Police Station, Pathanamthitta, 522/2024 of Harbour Police Station, Ernakulam, 419/2024 of Poochakal Police Station, Alappuzha, 401/2024 of Infopark Police Station, Ernakulam, 108/2024 of Cyber Crime Police Station, Thrissur, 419/2024 of Poochakal Police Station, Alappuzha, 1/2024 of Cyber Crime Police Station, Pathanamthitta, 24/2024 of Cyber Crime Police Station, Alappuzha and 1123/2024 of Arthungal Police Station, Alappuzha. All these cases are registered alleging offences inter alia under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 & Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

2. The crux of the allegation is that, the petitioners committed online fraud. Different contentions are raised by the counsel appearing for the petitioners, stating that, even if the entire allegations are accepted, the ingredients of the offences alleged are not attracted. I cannot decide the same in a bail application, because the investigation is going on. But these bail applications can be disposed of on a short point. The maximum punishment that can be imposed for t