- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:28338 CRL.P No. 9817 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 24TH DAY OF JULY, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 9817 OF 2025 BETWEEN: BABU MOHANTY AGED ABOUT 50 YEARS S/O LATE SHYAM SUNDAR MOHANTY OCCUPATION MANAGING DIRECTOR OF SRB MULTI INFRA PROJECTS PVT LTD., RESIDENT OF NO.4, PLOT NO. 47/1622 JAGANANTH NAGAR ROAD RASULGARD, G G P COLONY BHUBANESHWAR, ODISHA - 751 025. …PETITIONER (BY SRI DAMIS OMAR MAHMOOD PATEL, ADV.) AND: STATE OF KARNATAKA BY CEN CRIME POLICE STATION SOUTH DIVISION, BENGALURU (REPRESENTED BY LEARNED STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR) BENGALURU - 560 001. …RESPONDENT (BY SRI RANGASWAMY R, HCGP) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 438 CR.PC (FILED U/S 482 BNSS) PRAYING TO GRANT ANTICIPATORY BAIL TO THE PETITIONER, IN CR.NO.291/2025 FOR O/P/US/ 66D OF THE I.T ACT, 2008 AND U/S 318(4) AND 319(2) OF THE BNS, ON 19.05.2025 WITH A DIRECTION TO RELEASE HIM ON BAIL IN THE EVENT OF ARREST. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: Digitally signed by NANDINI M S Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:28338 CRL.P No. 9817 of 2025 CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S VISHWAJITH SHETTY ORAL ORDER 1. Petitioner, who apprehends arrest in Crime No.291/2025 registered by South CEN Crime Police Station, Bengaluru City, for the offences punishable under Section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, 2008, Sections 318(4) and 319(2) of BNS, 2023, is before this Court under Section 482 of BNSS, 2023, seeking anticipatory bail. 2. Heard the learned counsel for the parties. 3. FIR in Crime No.291/2025 was registered by South CEN Crime Police Station, Bengaluru City, for the aforesaid offences against unknown persons based on the first information dated 19.05.2025 received from Veena Venugopal W/o Venugopal J. After the petitioner had received an enquiry notice in the said case by the Investigation Officer, petitioner had approached the jurisdictional Sessions Court under Section 482 of BNSS, 2023 in Crl.Misc.No.5351/2025 and the same was dismissed by the jurisdictional Sessions Court on 03.07.2025. It is under these circumstances, petitioner is before this Court. - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:28338 CRL.P No. 9817 of 2025 4. In the first information submitted by Smt. Veena Venugopal, she has alleged that she was induced by fraudulent online platform by name Ventura Securities for investing in shares and totally she had transferred a sum of Rs.47,05,164/- to multiple bank accounts a per the instructions received online. During the course of investigation, it was found that a sum of Rs.5 lakhs was credited to the bank account of the company known as 'SRB Multi Infra Projects Pvt. Ltd.' which is operated by the petitioner. 5. Learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that though the petitioner is the Managing Director of the said company, it is operated by its employees. After coming to know about the mischief played by the employees of the company, he has lodged a criminal case against them. Learned HCGP however has brought to the notice of this Court that 30 criminal cases are registered against the company of the petitioner in different States and in the State of Karnataka alone, 11 criminal cases have been registered against the company of the petitioner to which money has been transferred from the account of first informant in the present case. Online fraud has - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:28338 CRL.P No. 9817 of 2025 become a menace to the society and gullible people are made to suffer by the fraudsters who make unlawful gain. Considering the nature of allegations and also the antecedents of the petitioner, I am of the opinion that his custodial interrogation would be necessary. Accordingly, the petition is dismissed. Sd/- (S VISHWAJITH SHETTY) JUDGE DN