IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH -.-

CRM-M-1457-2026 (O&M)

Date of Decision : 20.03.2026 Pawan Kumar ....Petitioner VERSUS State of Punjab ....Respondent CORAM : HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE MANDEEP PANNU Present: Mr. Shailendra Sharma, Advocate for the petitioner.

Mr. Kanav Singla, AAG Punjab.

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MANDEEP PANNU J. (Oral)

1. This is the first petition under Section 483 of the BNSS, 2023 seeking grant of regular bail in case FIR No. 0014 dated 19.09.2025, registered under Sections 111, 318(4), 61(2) of BNS, 2023 (Sections 237, 238, 336(3), 340 of BNS, 2023 added later on) and Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, at Police Station Cyber Crime, Kapurthala.

2. Brief facts of the case are that on 19.09.2025, on the basis of secret information, a raid was conducted at Taj Villas Hotel, Chahal Nagar, Phagwara, where an illegal call centre was allegedly being run. The said operation was being conducted by Amrinder Singh @ Sabi Tohri, along with Jaspreet Singh, Saajan Madan, Varun @ Rohan and other accused persons. During the raid, several persons were found operating computer systems and allegedly involved in cyber fraud activities. The police found multiple computer cabins with individuals working in a coordinated manner. Various accused including Paras Malhotra, Anshul, Bharat Sharma and Ujwal were also found connected with the said operation. From the spot, recoveries were effected including a large number of laptops, mobile phones, electronic devices, Wi-Fi equipment and several vehicles. Importantly, a substantial amount of cash, approximately ₹10,00,000, was also recovered. It is further the case of the prosecution that a total of 38 accused persons were arrested on the spot on 19.09.2025 from the premises being used as a fake call centre.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioner contends that the petitioner has been falsely implicated in the present case and has no role in the alleged cyber crime activities. It is submitted that the petitioner is merely an employee of Kaniya Lal Ahuja @ Paras and Pankaj son of Jai Narayan and was acting under their directions. Learned counsel submits that the cash allegedly recovered from the petitioner was kept by him on the instructions of the said persons, who are property dealers, and the petitioner had no knowledge regarding the source or intended use of the said amount. It is further contended that the petitioner has already disclosed the details of the said persons to the investigating agency, however, they have not been arrested. It is argued that there is no direct evidence to connect the petitioner with the alleged cyber fraud and no specific role has been attributed to him in the operation of the fake call centre. The petitioner has been in custody since 23.09.2025 and undertakes to abide by all conditions as may be imposed by this Court; therefore, he prays for grant of regular bail.

4. On the other hand, learned State counsel has opposed the present petition and submitted that the petitioner is deeply involved in the organized cyber crime syndicate. It is contended that on the basis of disclosure statement of co- accused Amrinder Singh @ Sabi Tohri, a raid was conducted at the premises of the petitioner at Khudd Mohalla, Ludhiana, and a huge amount of ₹2.05 crore was recovered from his possession in a polythene bag, along with multiple envelopes containing smaller denomination currency notes. It is further submitted that two electronic money counting machines and other incriminating articles were also recovered from the spot. The magnitude of recovery clearly indicates that the petitioner was entrusted with handling and concealing proceeds of crime generated from the cyber fraud racket. It is argued that the petitioner was an integral part of the conspiracy and was knowingly facilitating the financial operations of the syndicate. It is also submitted that the petitioner is in custody for the last about five months and 15 days, however, considering the