1 CGHC010154282026 2026:CGHC:28485 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 3887 of 2026 Vishal Sahu S/o Pappu Sahu Aged About 24 Years R/o Pampapur Tahsil- Ramanujnagar, District- Surajpur (C.G.) ... Applicant(s) versus State Of Chhattisgarh Through - Police Station Surajpur, District- Surajpur, (C.G.) ... Respondent(s) For Applicant(s) : Mr. Abdul Moin Khan, Advocate. For Respondent(s) : Smt. Supriya Upasane, Government Advocate. Hon'ble Shri Ramesh Sinha , Chief Justice Order on Board 09.07.2026 1. The applicant has preferred this First Bail Application under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short ‘BNSS’), for grant of regular bail, as he has been arrested in connection with Crime No. 150/2025, registered at Police Station Surajpur, District- Surajpur (CG) for the offence punishable under AKHILESH KUMAR DEWANGAN Digitally signed by AKHILESH KUMAR DEWANGAN 2 Sections 317(4), 318(4), 61(2)(A) of BNS and Section 66(D) of IT Act. 2. The prosecution story in brief, is that during the investigation into multiple online cyber fraud complaints received from the Cyber Crime Cell, it was found that the applicant, along with the co- accused, allegedly procured and supplied bank accounts, ATM cards and SIM cards to cyber fraudsters in lieu of commission. It is alleged that the accounts were used for transactions involving proceeds of cyber fraud amounting to Rs.87,60,933/-, whereupon the applicant was arrested and an offence under the relevant provisions of the BNS was registered against him. Hence, the bail application. 3. Learned counsel for the applicant submits that the applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in this case only on the basis of the memorandum statement. He further submit that the name of the present applicant does not find mention in the FIR, and he has been falsely implicated in the case and arrested on the basis of a fabricated and baseless investigation. He also submits that the applicant has not committed the alleged offence and, in fact, is himself a victim of cyber fraud. Despite this, he has been wrongly arrayed as an accused in the present case. So far as the status of trial is concerned, the trial is at the verge of its completion and the statement of the last prosecution witness is scheduled to be recorded today. The applicant is in jail since 3 21.03.2025 and the trial is likely to take some time for its conclusion. Therefore, he prays for grant of bail to the applicant. 4. On the other hand, learned State counsel opposes the bail application and submits that the charge-sheet has been filed in the present case before the competent Court. She further submits that in compliance of the Court’s order dated 29.04.2026, the concerned Investigating Officer has filed in personal affidavit, disclosing the evidence collected during the court of the investigation. 5. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the case diary. 6. From perusal of the affidavit filed by the concerned Investigating Officer, it transpires that during investigation, on the basis of information received from the National Cyber Crime Reporting Coordination Portal (1930), bank records and ATR reports, it was found that the bank account of the present applicant was allegedly used as a mule account for routing proceeds of cyber fraud committed in different States. It has further been stated that the applicant, in his memorandum/extrajudicial statement, admitted that he had opened a bank account and handed over the account, ATM card and SIM card to one of the co-accused in lieu of monetary consideration. It is further stated that an amount of Rs.25,73,408/- was allegedly transacted through the applicant's UCO Bank account in connection with nine cyber fraud complaints 4 registered in different States. The Investigating Officer has further deposed that the applicant was arrested during investigation, that the offence involves a well-organised cyber fraud racket and economic offences of serious nature, and that, if released on bail, the applicant may abscond, influence the investigation and repeat similar offences. 7. Considering the aforesaid submissions advanced by learned counsel for the parties, upon perusal of the case diary as well as the affidavit filed by the concerned Investigating Officer, this Court finds that the material collected during the course of investigation prima facie indicates the involvement of the present applicant in a well-organised cyber fraud racket by allegedly procuring and supplying bank accounts, ATM cards and SIM cards for facilitating cyber frauds in different States. The investigation further reveals that the bank account of the applicant was allegedly used as a mule account for routing the proceeds of cyber fraud, and a substantial amount of Rs.25,73,408/- was transacted through his account in connection with multiple cyber fraud complaints. The memorandum/extrajudicial statement of the applicant, coupled with the bank records and other documentary material collected during investigation, also prima facie supports the prosecution case. The allegations pertain to economic offences involving cyber fraud, which are grave in nature and have far-reaching ramifications affecting the financial system and public confidence. Such offences are required to be viewed seriously, as they are 5 committed with calculated design for unlawful gain and have a wider societal impact. At this stage, considering the nature and gravity of the accusations, the manner in which the offence is alleged to have been committed, this Court is not inclined to extend the benefit of bail to the applicant. 8. Accordingly, the bail application of applicant-Vishal Sahu, involved in Crime No. 150/2025, registered at Police Station Surajpur, District- Surajpur (CG) for the offence punishable under Sections 317(4), 318(4), 61(2)(A) of BNS and Section 66(D) of IT Act, is rejected. 9. Needless to say that the trial Court concerned is at liberty to proceed and conclude the trial expeditiously. 10. Office is directed to send a certified copy of this order to the trial Court concerned for necessary information and compliance. Sd/- (Ramesh Sinha) Chief Justice Akhil