1 CGHC010173622026 2026:CGHC:28965 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 4312 of 2026 Christopher Lawrence @ Krish Lawrence S/o Lt. Vijay Lawrence Aged About 36 Years R/o - Mahaveer Nagar Shreeji Dwarika Colony House No. 21, Amlidih P. S. - New Rajendra Nagar, District- Raipur (C.G.) (As Per Correct Details) --- Applicant versus State Of Chhattisgarh Through The Station House Officer Of Police Station- Telibandha, District - Raipur (C.G.) --- Respondent For Applicant : Mr. Y.C. Sharma, Senior Advocate assisted by Mr. Sameer Rigri, Advocate. For Respondent : Ms. Vaishali Mahilang, Dy. Govt. Advocate. MCRC No. 4753 of 2026 Manish Kumar Bulani S/o Parsaram Bulani Aged About 29 Years Permanent Address House No. -895, Near Santoshi Mandir Pandri Sankar Nagar Polie Sation Civil Lines District Raipur Chhattistgarh --- Applicant Versus State Of Chhattisgarh Through- Officer In Charge Police Station Telibandha Raipur District Raipur Chhattisgarh. 492001. --- Respondent For Applicant : None present For Respondent : Ms. Vaishali Mahilang, Dy. Govt. Advocate. Hon'ble Shri Ramesh Sinha , Chief Justice Order on Board 2 10.07.2026 1. Since both the bail applications are arising out the same crime number, therefore, they are being heard together and decided by this order. 2. These are the First bail applications filed under Section 483 of the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for grant of regular bail to the applicants arrested in connection with Crime No. 609/2025 registered at Police Station Telibandha, District Raipr (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Sections 317 (2), 317 (4), 317 (5), 111 and 3(5) of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (for short, “BNS”). 3. Case of the prosecution, in brief, is that the police received information regarding certain suspected mule bank accounts through the “Samanvay Portal” operated by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Acting upon such information, the FIR came to be registered alleging that as many as 51 (fifty-one) mule bank accounts were used to receive proceeds of cyber fraud amounting in aggregate to Rs.21,29,355/-. It is further alleged that one such bank account, being UCO Bank Account No. 18350110117262 stands in the name of the Manish Kumar Bulani, and that the said Manish Kumar Bulai is stated to have transferred the said account to the applicant Christopher Lawrence (applicant in M.Cr.C. No. 4312 of 2026) for a consideration of Rs.6,000/-, who thereafter is alleged to have further transferred it to another co-accused Sunil Patil and thereby committed the aforesaid offence. Hence, his bail application. 4. Learned Senior Counsel appearing for the applicant -Christopher Lawrence @ Krish Lawrence submits that the present applicant is 3 innocent and has no manner of involvement in the alleged commission of the online fraud or in receipt of any alleged fraudulent amount. He submits that as per the prosecution case, the alleged defrauded amount of Rs. 21,29,355/- was deposited in Bank Account maintained with UCO Bank, but present applicant is not the holder of the said bank account used to commit cyber fraud, not even a single complaint has ever been made, which shows that present applicant is a habitual offender. The applicant is languishing in jail since 26.08.2025; charge-sheet has already been filed in this case, as such, the applicant is entitled for grant of regular bail. 5. A perusal of the bail application (M.Cr.C. No. 4753/2026) filed by the applicant, Manish Kumar Bulani, reveals that the bank account in question (UCO Bank Account No. 18350110117262) is held in his name. It is stated that the applicant had transferred this account to another applicant, Christopher Lawrence (M.Cr.C. No. 4312/2026), in exchange for Rs. 6,000/- and it is alleged that the latter subsequently transferred it to another co-accused, Sunil Patil. The applicant has been in jail since December 21, 2025, and the charge-sheet in this matter has already been filed. 6. On the other hand, learned State Counsel opposes the bail application and submits that the charge-sheet has been filed in the present case. He further submits that the alleged bank account, being UCO Bank Account No. 18350110117262 stands in the name of the applicant – Manish Kumar Bulani, and that Manish Kumar Bulani is stated to have transferred the said account to the applicant Christopher Lawrence (in M.Cr.C. No. 4312 of 2026) for a consideration of Rs.6,000/-, who thereafter is alleged to have 4 further transferred it to another co-accused Sunil Patil, as such, looking to the active participation of both the applicants in the alleged commission of offence, they are not entitled to be released on bail. 7. Learned State Counsel also submits that in compliance of the Court's order dated 11.05.2026 (in M.Cr.C. No. 4312 of 2026), the concerned Investigating Officer (I.O.) has filed his personal affidavit disclosing the evidence collected during the course of investigation, the concerned I.O. in para 4 of his affidavit stated that during investigation, it was found that, the accused beneficiary UCO Bank Account Number 18350110117262 in which, the Mobile Number 8889397833 has been registered wherein from 29.08.2024 to 23.06.2026, online transaction of Rs.51,197/- has been found to be transacted. The aforesaid bank account was found in the name of one Manish Kumar Bulani, Resident of House No. 895, Near Santoshi Mandir, Pandari, Police Station Civil Lines, Raipur, therefore, the aforesaid bank account holder Manish Kumar Bulani was summoned and interrogated wherein, he has categorically deposed in his memorandum statement in from the relevant witnesses that, he has given the aforesaid bank account to his friend i.e. another applicant namely, Christopher Lawece @ Krish for daily / recovery use. On the basis of memorandum statement of applicant Manish Kumar Bulani, the applicant Christopher Lawece @ Krish was summoned with regard to the subject transactions made by him therein and he has been interrogated relating to the bank accounts operate by him and the transactions therein. As such, the applicants are not entitled to be released on bail. 5 8. I have heard learned counsel appearing for the parties and perused the case diary. 9. Taking into consideration the facts and circumstances of the case, nature and gravity of offence and considering the fact that one such bank account, being UCO Bank Account No. 18350110117262 stands in the name of the Manish Kumar Bulani, and that the said Manish Kumar Bulai is stated to have transferred the said account to the applicant Christopher Lawrence (applicant in M.Cr.C. No. 4312 of 2026) and used the said account as a mule account for depositing and channelizing proceeds of cyber fraud amounting to approximately Rs. 21,29,355/-/-, thus, this Court is of the opinion that it is not a fit case to enlarge the applicants on regular bail. 10. Accordingly, these bail application of applicants – Christopher Lawrence @ Krish Lawrence and Manish Kumar Bulani involved in Crime No. 609/2025 registered at Police Station Telibandha, District Raipr (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Sections 317 (2), 317 (4), 317 (5), 111 and 3(5) of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, are rejected at this stage. 11. Office is directed to send a certified copy of this order to the trial Court concerned for necessary information and compliance forthwith. Sd/- Sd/- (Ramesh Sinha) Chief Justice dubey AMIT KUMAR DUBEY Digitally signed by AMIT KUMAR DUBEY Date: 2026.07.13 16:07:34 +0530 6