$~66 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + BAIL APPLN. 2254/2026, CRL.M.A. 18073/2026 ROBERT DIXON .....Applicant Through: Mr. Syed Saif Ali Jafri and Mr. Dharmendra, Advs. versus STATE OF NCT OF DELHI .....Respondent Through: Mr. Satish Kumar, APP with Ms. Upasana Bakshi, Divya Bakshi and Mr. Ashok Kumar Shukla, Advocates Mr. Rishabh S. Mishra, Adv. for complainant/ company CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SAURABH BANERJEE O R D E R % 17.07.2026 1. By virtue of the present application under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS), the applicant seeks grant of anticipatory bail in proceedings arising out of FIR No.337/2024 dated 15.08.2024 registered at PS: Patparganj Industrial Area under Sections 406/408/420/120-B of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. 2. Succinctly put, as per prosecution, the aforesaid FIR was registered at the behest of M/s. Easy Trip Planners Ltd., a company offering travel- based services, against some of their former and current employees for misappropriation of huge sums of money and diverting the same to bank accounts of their friends and family members under the garb of various This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 21/07/2026 at 10:54:46 destination hotels booked by users online. During the course of investigation, it emerged that the applicant herein, who was working for the complainant as a Senior Executive and used to prepare payment sheets for the accounts department to effect release of monies to the respective hotels, was also involved in the said conspiracy in a central role, and out of the total misappropriated amount to the tune of more than Rs.3.5 Crores, a sum of about Rs.120 Lacs was finally credited to his bank account. The applicant was accordingly served several notices under Section 35(3) BNSS to join the investigation however he failed to do so, and in the meanwhile, his application seeking anticipatory bail was also rejected by the learned Trial Court vide order dated 30.05.2026. 3. In this backdrop, this Court has heard learned counsel for the applicant as well as learned APP, alongwith learned counsel for the complainant. 4. Facts evince that there have been alleged misappropriation of huge sums of money, that too in a large-scale and widespread manner involving over twenty different bank accounts. During such time, since the applicant was holding a post of significant importance in the complainant company, he was directly responsible for preparation of the payment sheets that were used for the alleged misappropriation of funds, as also the credit transactions in his very own bank account raise a strong prima facie suspicion against him. 5. Further, the applicant has repeatedly evaded to join investigation. Most relevantly, even after the dismissal of his earlier application seeking anticipatory bail before the learned Trial Court vide order dated 30.05.2026, despite repeated service of notices under Section 35(3) BNSS This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 21/07/2026 at 10:54:46 on 02.06.2026, 11.06.2026, 18.06.2026, 25.06.2026 and recently on 10.07.2026, the applicant has failed to join the investigation and has remained untraceable. The said conduct of the applicant does not inspire any confidence in this Court that the applicant will not misuse the protection granted to him if the present application is allowed. 6. Lastly, it is also to be borne in mind that since there is a money trail involved herein, with allegations of diversion of the misappropriated amounts, which remain to be traced, the need for custodial interrogation cannot be ruled out. After all, the right of an individual to his liberty, though vital, must be balanced with the need for a fair and effective investigation [Pratibha Manchanda & Anr. vs. State of Haryana & Anr.:(2023) 8 SCC 181]. 7. Therefore, taking a cumulative view of the facts and circumstances involved, especially the prima facie case against the applicant, his conduct of evading investigation, as well as the large sum of monies and numerous bank accounts involved which are yet to be traced, the present application is dismissed. 8. Needless to say, any expression(s) of views on merits are purely for the purposes of adjudication of the present application and shall have no bearing on the criminal proceedings involved. SAURABH BANERJEE, J. JULY 17, 2026/bh This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 21/07/2026 at 10:54:46