IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATES OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH

242 CRM-M-63633-2025 (O&M)

Date of decision: 19.01.2026 Sangram Singh Juvaan Singh Raulji ...Petitioner Versus State of Haryana ...Respondent CORAM: HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE MANISHA BATRA Present:- Mr. Salman Ahmed, Advocate for the petitioner.

Mr. Neeraj Poswal, AAG, Haryana.

MANISHA BATRA, J. (Oral)

1. Prayer in this petition, filed by the petitioner under Section 483 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, is for grant of regular bail to him in case bearing FIR No. 198 dated 22.07.2025, registered under Sections 318(4), 319(2), 241, 204 and 61(2) of BNS, 2023 and Section 66-D of the Information Technology Act, at Police Station Cyber Crime South, District Gurugram.

2. The aforementioned FIR was registered on the basis of a written complaint submitted by the complainant, Abhik Ghosh, who was a retired IAS officer and was duped of a sum of Rs. 51,30,000/- by becoming a victim of cyber fraud. He was deceived on the pretext of his alleged implication in money laundering cases by the unknown persons, impersonating themselves as police personnel, made phone calls to him and got the aforesaid amount transferred into different bank accounts.

3. After registration of the FIR, investigation proceedings were initiated. One phone number, which was shown to have been used for transferring money from the bank account of the complainant, was found to be registered in the name of one Suman, wife of late Bharat Singh. Her statement was recorded, wherein she disclosed that she had contacted a POS vendor, namely Himanshu, for obtaining SIM cards. Two SIM cards were registered in her name, one of which was sold to fraudsters for the purpose of committing fraud. The accused Himanshu was arrested and suffered a disclosure statement admitting his involvement in the crime. The investigation further revealed another beneficiary bank account in the name of Shivansh Colour, which was found to be registered in the name of its proprietor Arjun Yadav, who was arrested and he too suffered a disclosure statement admitting his involvement.

4. Further, an amount of about Rs. 17 lakhs was revealed to have been transferred from the bank account of the complainant to an account registered in the name of co-accused Gohil Ajay Bhai, who was arrested and disclosed that he had sold his bank account to Jai Shah and JD through the present petitioner, who was his friend, in lieu of commission of 1%. He further disclosed that the amount received in his account was withdrawn with the help of the present petitioner and a sum of Rs. 5 lakhs was given to the petitioner.

5. The petitioner was arrested 25.08.2025 and a mobile phone was recovered from him. He too suffered a disclosure statement during interrogation admitting his involvement in the crime. He disclosed that he used to work in the sales department of Bandhan Bank and had induced accused Gohil Ajay Bhai to give his HDFC Bank account to co-accused Jai Shah and JD for the purpose of commission of cyber fraud and had assured to give 1% commission on the same. He also admitted that an amount of Rs. 5 lakhs was received by him. Some other persons were also nominated as accused and were arrested. The duped amount is yet to be recovered.

6. It is argued by learned counsel for the petitioner that he has been falsely implicated in the present case. He is in custody since 28.05.2025. He was not named in the FIR. No money was transferred to his bank account and there is no incriminating material connecting him with the crime. Investigation has since been completed and challan has been presented. He is not required for further investigation. Conclusion of trial is likely to take a considerable time. No useful purpose would be served by keeping him in custody. He has clean antecedents. It is, thus, urged that he deserves to be released on bail.

7. Status report has been filed. Learned State counsel has argued that the petitioner, in connivance with the co-accused, c