1 CGHC010236712026 2026:CGHC:32382 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 5875 of 2026 Shivshankar Verma S/o Shri Prabhuram Verma Aged About 27 Years R/o Village Surajpura, Ps Bhatapara Gramin, Distt. Balodabazar Bhatapara, Chhattisgarh. ... Applicant versus State of Chhattisgarh Through S H O Bhatapara City, District - Balodabazar Bhatapara, Chhattisgarh. ... Non-Applicant For Applicant : Mr. Dheerendra Pandey, Advocate For Non-Applicant/State : Mr. Saumya Rai, Deputy Govt. Advocate Hon'ble Mr. Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Order on Board 28.07.2026 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. 187/2026 registered at Police Station– Bhatapara City, District - Balodabazar Bhatapara, (C.G.), for the offence punishable under Sections 314, 317(2), 317(4), 318(4), 319(2) and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, 2000. RAHUL DEWANGAN Digitally signed by RAHUL DEWANGAN 2 2. As per the prosecution case, in brief, is that on the basis of a complaint received from the Police Headquarters, Chhattisgarh, Naya Raipur, regarding IDBI Bank Account No. 1054104000159111, a report was lodged at Police Station Bhatapara City on 09.06.2026. During the preliminary inquiry, it was revealed that suspicious transactions amounting to Rs.30,92,833/- had taken place in the said account, held in the name of the present applicant, Shivshankar Verma, during the period from 01.04.2025 to 30.07.2025. The investigation further disclosed that the amounts credited to the account were linked to online fraud cases reported in different parts of the country and that, immediately upon receipt of substantial amounts, the funds were transferred to various other accounts in smaller transactions. Upon analysis of the bank records and other material collected during the investigation, it was found that the account was being operated through the IDBI Bank Branch, Bhatapara, District Balodabazar. The prosecution alleges that the applicant, in furtherance of a criminal conspiracy and for monetary gain, provided his KYC documents and banking credentials to unknown persons, thereby facilitating the concealment and transfer of proceeds of crime. Accordingly, a crime was registered against the applicant and investigation was commenced. During the course of investigation, the memorandum statement of the applicant was recorded, wherein he disclosed that one Aman Soni, a clerk at Krishna Poha, had assisted him in opening the said bank account and had paid him Rs.10,000/- while retaining possession of his ATM card and passbook. Finding prima facie material indicating the 3 applicant’s involvement in the alleged offence, the police arrested him on 09.06.2026 and remanded him to judicial custody. Hence, the present bail application. 3. Learned counsel for the applicant submits that the applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the present case. It is contended that the applicant has neither committed nor participated in any act constituting the alleged offences and that the material collected during the investigation is not sufficient to prima facie establish his involvement. He further submits that the only allegation against the applicant is that a bank account was opened in his name at IDBI Bank, Bhatapara Branch, and that co-accused Aman Soni allegedly paid him Rs.10,000/- and thereafter retained possession of the passbook, ATM card and other banking credentials of the said account. It is argued that the account was operated by the co-accused and that the applicant had no role in the alleged transactions. It is also submitted that the charge-sheet has been submitted before the competent Court, he has no previous criminal antecedents, and the present applicant is in jail since 09.06.2026 and conclusion of the trial may take some time, therefore, he prays for grant of regular bail to the present applicant. 4. On the other hand, learned State Counsel opposes the bail application and submits that the charge-sheet has been submitted before the competent Court. He further submits that pursuant to the directions of this Hon’ble Court dated 03.07.2026, the Investigating Officer has filed a detailed affidavit disclosing the evidence collected during the course of investigation against the applicant. It is 4 submitted that the investigation has revealed that the applicant had dishonestly and fraudulently opened a bank account as part of a criminal conspiracy for concealing and channelizing the proceeds of cyber crime and for securing illegal monetary gains. Learned State counsel further submits that during interrogation and in his memorandum statement, the applicant disclosed that co-accused Aman Soni had facilitated the opening of the said IDBI Bank account and had paid him Rs.10,000/-, while retaining possession of the account kit, thereby clearly indicating his conscious involvement in the transaction. It is further submitted that the investigation has revealed the involvement of only two accused persons, namely the present applicant and Aman Soni, and that they were operating in connection with cyber fraud activities affecting victims from different States of the country. Learned State counsel points out that three separate complaints registered on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal/1930 from Ahmedabad (Gujarat), Borivali, Mumbai (Maharashtra) and Kolkata South West (West Bengal) have been traced to the bank account of the applicant. It is also submitted that a total amount of Rs.30,92,833/- was credited into the applicant’s bank account within a short span of time and Rs.30,74,060/- was withdrawn therefrom, clearly demonstrating that the account was actively used for routing and withdrawing cyber fraud proceeds. According to the investigation, the offence is a serious economic offence involving cyber fraud, criminal conspiracy and misappropriation of money belonging to victims situated in different parts of the country, and the material 5 collected prima facie establishes that the applicant acted in connivance with the co-accused for facilitating fraudulent transactions through his bank account. Therefore, considering the gravity of the offence, the magnitude of the transactions involved and the prima facie evidence available on record, he submits that 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 nature and gravity of the allegations, the material collected during investigation, and the specific findings disclosed in the affidavit filed by the Investigating Officer pursuant to the order of this Court, and further the affidavit reveals that the applicant’s bank account was allegedly opened and utilized as part of a criminal conspiracy for concealing and channelizing the proceeds of cyber fraud and that the applicant had received Rs.10,000/- in connection with the opening and operation of the said account. The investigation further indicates that the account has been linked with three separate cyber fraud complaints registered by victims from Ahmedabad (Gujarat), Borivali, Mumbai (Maharashtra) and Kolkata South West (West Bengal) on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. It has also been brought on record that a sum of Rs.30,92,833/- was credited into the applicant’s bank account within a short span of time and an amount of Rs.30,74,060/- was withdrawn therefrom, which prima facie demonstrates active use of the account for routing and withdrawal of proceeds of cyber crime. The allegations pertain to a serious economic offence involving 6 cyber fraud, criminal conspiracy and misappropriation of money belonging to multiple victims across different States, and the material collected during investigation prima facie indicates the applicant’s conscious involvement in facilitating such transactions. In view of the magnitude of the amount involved, the nature of the offence, the inter-State ramifications of the crime and the prima facie evidence available against the applicant, this Court is of the opinion that it is not a fit case to enlarge the applicant on regular bail. 7. Accordingly, the bail application of the applicant – Shivshankar Verma, involved in Crime No. 187/2026 registered at Police Station– Bhatapara City, District - Balodabazar Bhatapara, (C.G.), for the offence punishable under Sections 314, 317(2), 317(4), 318(4), 319(2) and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, is rejected. 8. Needless to say that the trial Court concerned is at liberty to proceed and conclude the trial expeditiously. 9. Office 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