IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH 238 CRM-M-30606-2026 Date of Decision: 22.07.2026 Amandeep Singh …Petitioner V/s State of Haryana …Respondent CORAM : HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE VIKRAM AGGARWAL Present: Mr. Rohit K. Arora, Advocate, for the petitioner. Ms. Vasundhara Dalal Anand, Sr. DAG, Haryana. *** VIKRAM AGGARWAL, J (ORAL) Prayer in the present petition preferred under Section 483 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short the “BNSS”) is for the grant of regular bail to the petitioner in case FIR No.64, dated 04.10.2024 registered under Sections 61(2), 318(4), 319(2), 308 (2), 238 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (for short the “BNS”) and Section 66-C of Information Technology Act, 2000 at Police Station Cybere Crime, District Kurukshetra. 2. Custody certificate dated 21.07.2026 filed in Court today is taken on record. 3. The facts in brief are that that the complainant is a retired Assistant Professor, having mobile SIM Card No.98965-44980. Her husband has already expired, but his mobile SIM Card No.98963-62499 is still with her. She further alleged that she has bank accounts in five different banks. The complainant received a call on her mobile from mobile No.95805-05659 on 13.09.2024 at about 11:28 A.M. and the caller told his name as Arun Kumar, who stated that he was making a call from TRAI. The said person further stated that a complaint had been lodged against her on 08.08.2024 for uploading pornographic contents on the internet and that her Aadhar Card was VIKAS CHANDER 2026.07.22 18.00 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document CRM-M-30606-2026 -2- attached with the same. Complainant further alleged that the said person then transferred the call to some other person, who claimed to be Constable Vikram. The said Constable Vikram further forwarded the call to the alleged Investigating Officer Anand Rana, who also informed that her Aadhar Card was attached with three bank accounts, through which illegal business of money laundering was being done. He asked her to come to Mumbai for moving complaint, but she told him that due to old age, she would not be able to visit Mumbai. The said person then asked her whether she had deposited the copy of her Aadhar Card at Mumbai, Goa. Uttar Pradesh, Haryana or Kerala, to which she replied that in September, 2023 she had visited Ayodhya along with some other ladies. Complainant further alleged that on the asking of said person, she sent a copy of her Aadhar Card through WhatsApp. The said person Anand Rana then made a video call to her mobile from mobile No.85285-76914 and asked her about one Mohammad Islam Nawab Malik, who was engaged in the illegal business of money laundering, but she stated that she did not know any such person. Thereafter, Anand Rana started scaring her on the pretext that she would be sent to Jail. He also collected information about her daughter and son-in-law and stated that if she did not follow their instructions, her daughter would be deported from America. Complainant further alleged that Anand Rana kept her under digital arrest and she remained present with them through video calls. On 17.09.2024, on the asking of Anand Rana, she downloaded SKYPE Mobile Application and opened an account in the name of Vibha Singh. Thereafter, she made a call on Maharashtra Emergency Portal live:.cid.fo6be27ea5fb-d979 at about 10:23 A.M. and the person who attended her call, introduced himself as DCP, threatened her and sent a link of Supreme Court of India i.e. https://www.scigov.cn. The complainant was then asked to withdraw the money lying in the fixed deposits VIKAS CHANDER 2026.07.22 18.00 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document CRM-M-30606-2026 -3- and she acted accordingly. She thereafter deposited Rs.20,00,000/-, Rs.28,50,000/-, Rs.69.00,000/-, Rs.20,00,000/-, Rs.59,00,000/-, Rs.8,50,000/-, Rs.30,00,000/-, Rs.4,00,000/-, Rs.5,00,000/-, Rs.2,75,000/- in different bank accounts of different persons. As per the complainant, in total she had deposited Rs.2,46,75,000/- in the said accounts. Thus, the complainant prayed that strict action be taken against the accused persons and her money be returned to her. 4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner has been falsely implicated. He further submits that the petitioner has been in custody since 18.12.2025; investigation has been completed; final report has been submitted; out of a total 33 witnesses, none of them examined as of now and trial will take a sufficiently long time and, therefore, no useful purpose would be served by keeping the petitioner in custody any longer. Still further, learned counsel contends that co-accused namely Suresh, Gursewak Singh @ Sunny, Keshav Parkash, Mohd. Sameer and Manjeet Singh have already been granted bail by a coordinate Bench vide order dated 18.03.20236 passed in CRM-M-34266-2025 (and 4 other connected cases) and the case of the petitioner is at par with that of the co-accused. 5. Per contra, learned counsel representing the State has opposed the bail petition. 6. I have considered the submissions made by learned counsel for the parties. 7. Concededly, the petitioner is in custody since 18.12.2025. A period of 7 months has gone by. Investigation has been completed. Final report has been submitted and out of 37 witnesses, none of them has been examined as of now. The trial will, therefore, take a sufficiently long time to conclude and no useful purpose would be served by keeping the petitioner in VIKAS CHANDER 2026.07.22 18.00 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document CRM-M-30606-2026 -4- custody any longer. Still further, co-accused Suresh, Gursewak Singh @ Sunny, Keshav Parkash, Mohd. Sameer and Manjeet Singh have already been granted bail by a coordinate Bench vide order dated 18.03.20236 passed in CRM-M-34266-2025 (and 4 other connected cases) and the case of the petitioner is at par with that of the said co-accused. 8. In view of the aforementioned facts and circumstances, without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, the present petition is allowed. The petitioner is ordered to be released on regular bail on his furnishing bail/surety bonds to the satisfaction of the concerned trial Court/Chief Judicial Magistrate/Duty Magistrate. (VIKRAM AGGARWAL) JUDGE July 22, 2026 vcgarg Whether speaking/reasoned : Yes/No Whether reportable : Yes/No VIKAS CHANDER 2026.07.22 18.00 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document