1 2026:CGHC:14374 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 1941 of 2026 Trilok Patel S/o Late Vijay Patel Aged About 23 Years R/o Ward No. 12, Dwarika Gali Fuljhariya Para Sarangarh , Police Station City Kotwali Sarangarh, District- Sarangarh Bilaigarh (C.G.) (Description Of Applicant Mentioned As Per Charge Sheet) ... Applicant versus State of Chhattisgarh Through The Station House OfÏcer, Police Of Police Station Sarangarh , District- Sarangarh - Bilaigarh (C.G.) ... Non-Applicant For Applicant : Ms. Prachi Singh , Advocate For Non-Applicant/State : Mr. Saumya Rai, Deputy Govt. Advocate Hon'ble Mr. Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Order on Board 25.03.2026 1. This is the First bail application filed under Section 483 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, for grant of regular bail to the applicant who has been arrested in connection with Crime No. 222/2025 registered at Police Station – Sarangarh , District- Sarangarh - Bilaigarh, (C.G.), for the offence punishable under Sections 317(2), 317(4), 317(5), 111 and 3(5) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. RAHUL DEWANGAN Digitally signed by RAHUL DEWANGAN 2 2. As per the prosecution story in brief, on 15.05.2025 information was received from the Cyber Cell regarding a fraudulent online transaction, and during the course of investigation, bank account No. 10207342902 (IFSC Code: IDFB0060504, Sarangarh Branch) was found to have been used for receiving and transferring money obtained through cyber fraud, functioning as a mule account, it is further revealed that through the National Cyber Crime Portal (1930), as many as 13 complaints from different States were linked to the said account, involving transactions amounting to approximately ₹7,76,915/-, the present applicant was arrested on 15.05.2025, and during investigation it was found that the applicant had opened the said bank account and permitted transactions through mobile banking, it is also stated that several other linked account holders were identified, notices were issued to them for enquiry, and legal action has been initiated against them, and thereafter offences as mentioned above have been registered, the aforesaid facts are evident from the copy of the FIR filed herewith as Annexure A-2, hence this bail application. 3. Learned counsel for the applicant submits that the applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the present case and has neither committed nor participated in any act constituting the alleged offences. It is further submitted that the evidence collected by the prosecution does not disclose any prima facie case sufÏcient to hold the applicant guilty, and the applicant has no knowledge as to how or by whom his bank account was allegedly misused. It is also submitted that the applicant is a young boy aged about 23 3 years, earning his livelihood by working at a photocopy shop and is the sole breadwinner supporting his aged mother and ailing younger brother, Devesh Patel, who is presently hospitalized. Moreover, it is submitted that two prosecution witnesses have already been examined and the trial is likely to take considerable time to reach its conclusion, and the copies of their depositions have been filed as Annexure A-3. It is further submitted that the applicant is in judicial custody since 15.05.2025, and conclusion of the trial may take some time, therefore, he prays for grant of regular bail to the present applicants. 4. On the other hand, learned State Counsel opposes the bail application and submits that in compliance of the order dated 27.02.2026, the Investigating OfÏcer has filed a detailed afÏdavit clearly disclosing the incriminating material collected against the present applicant, and as per the investigation, the case pertains to a well-organized cyber fraud involving mule bank accounts, wherein the bank account bearing No. 10207342902 was found to be in the name of the present applicant Trilok Patel, proprietor of Bholu Computer and Photocopy, and the said account has been linked with as many as 13 complaints from different States registered through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (1930), it is further submitted that during investigation it has been revealed that the amount obtained through cyber fraud was routed and utilized through the said account, and a substantial amount of ₹77,69,155/- has been deposited in the account from the date of its opening, which clearly indicates the active involvement of the applicant in 4 facilitating and handling the proceeds of crime, it is also submitted that the applicant, being the account holder, knowingly allowed the use of his account for receiving defrauded money and thereby acted as a holder/promoter of the mule account, habitually dealing with property obtained through fraudulent means, and thus committed offences punishable under the relevant provisions of the BNS, 2023, therefore, considering the gravity of the offence, the large number of victims across different States, and the material collected during investigation, the applicant is not entitled to be released on bail. 5. I have heard learned counsel appearing for the parties and perused the case diary. 6. Considering the submissions advanced by learned counsel for the parties and upon perusal of the case diary as well as the detailed afÏdavit filed by the Investigating OfÏcer in compliance of the order dated 27.02.2026, this Court finds that there is prima facie material available on record indicating the active involvement of the present applicant in the commission of the alleged offence, in particular, the investigation reveals that the bank account bearing No. 10207342902 stands in the name of the applicant and has been linked with 13 cyber fraud complaints from different States registered through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (1930), and further, a substantial amount of ₹77,69,155/- has been deposited in the said account since its opening, indicating that it was being used as a mule account for routing proceeds of crime, 5 moreover, the material collected during investigation suggests that the applicant, being the account holder, knowingly facilitated receipt and utilization of the defrauded amount and was involved in handling property obtained through fraudulent means, thus, considering the gravity of the offence, the magnitude of financial transactions, involvement of multiple victims across different States, and the specific role attributed to the applicant as reflected in the afÏdavit, this Court is not inclined to grant bail to the applicant at this stage. 7. Accordingly, the bail application of the applicant – Trilok Patel, involved in Crime No. 222/2025 registered at Police Station – Sarangarh , District- Sarangarh - Bilaigarh, (C.G.), for the offence punishable under Sections 317(2), 317(4), 317(5), 111 and 3(5) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, is rejected. 8. Needless to say that the trial Court concerned is at liberty to proceed and conclude the trial expeditiously. 9. OfÏce is directed to send a certified copy of this order to the trial Court concerned for necessary information and compliance forthwith. Sd/- (Ramesh Sinha) Chief Justice Rahul Dewangan