1 CGHC010285592026 2026:CGHC:36909 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 7022 of 2026 Kaushal Kumar Singh S/o Virendra Pratap Singh Aged About 35 Years R/o Plot No. 02, Ward No. 14, Near Jankalyan Hospital, Housing Board, Jamul Bhilai Tahsil And District Durg, Chhattisgarh ... Applicant versus State Of Chhattisgarh Through Station House Officer Police Station - Azad Chowk, District : Raipur, Chhattisgarh ... Non-Applicant For Applicant : Shri Ravi Singh, Advocate. For Non-Applicant : Ms. Anusha Naik, Deputy GA. Hon'ble Shri Ramesh Sinha , Chief Justice Order on Board 18/08/2026 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.283/2025 registered at Police Station Azad Chowk, District Raipur (C.G.) for the offence under Sections 317 (2), 317 (4), 317 (5), 111 & 3 (5) of the BNS. KRISHNA KUMAR BARVE Digitally signed by KRISHNA KUMAR BARVE Date: 2026.08.19 18:45:43 +0530 2 2. Case of the prosecution is that on 19.9.2025, a cyber fraud investigation initiated via the Ministry of Home Affairs' "Sammanvay" portal revealed that 17 mule bank accounts at the South Indian Bank, Ramsagarpara branch, were being systematically used to receive, utilize, and channelize illicit funds. Between January 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025, a total amount of ₹6,42,477 derived from cyber financial frauds was reported on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal as having been deposited into these specific accounts. The prosecution alleges that the named account holders, facilitators, mobile number users, and other co-conspirators acted in organized furtherance of a common intention. They allegedly engaged in the habitual receipt, concealment, and disposal of these stolen funds while fully knowing or having reason to believe that the money was dishonestly obtained through deceptive and fraudulent online means. Thereafter FIR was registered. Hence the bail application. 3. It has been argued by learned counsel for the applicant that the applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the crime. The prosecution has failed to establish any direct or deliberate nexus between the Applicant and the alleged cyber fraud, as the tracking data from the "Sammanvay" portal merely points to the transaction logs of multiple mule accounts without placing specific culpable intent or direct physical execution on the Applicant. The applicant has neither committed, nor participated in any such act, 3 which may amount to the alleged offence. The Applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the present case, as the face of the alleged statement itself demonstrates that the principal act of taking unauthorized thumb impressions and fraudulently activating SIM cards was committed entirely by the employee, Ajaruddin, without any direct involvement or criminal intent (mens rea) on the part of the Applicant. Besides the above, the evidence collected by the prosecution are also not prima facie sufficient to hold the applicant guilty of the alleged offence. The entire superstructure of the prosecution's case relies explicitly on electronic records, including bank account sheets from South Indian Bank, portal logs, and registered mobile numbers, all of which are already frozen, secured and safely within the custody of the Cyber Police Station, Range Raipur. The applicant is in jail since 10.4.2026. Therefore, the applicant may be released on bail. 4. On the other hand, learned counsel appearing for the State/non- applicant would oppose the bail application and submit that in compliance of the order passed by this Court on 3.8.2026, the concerned I.O. has filed his personal affidavit. Paras- 8 to 12 of the said affidavit read thus:- “8. That, during the course of investigation, it was found that the bank account bearing No. 0433053000007320 maintained with South Indian Bank, Ramasagarpara Branch, Raipur, was registered in the name of Santosh Yadav S/o Premlal Yadav, having registered mobile number 9238632503. The said account was found to have 4 been used in connection with suspicious financial transactions and online cyber fraud. 9.That, during the course of investigation, it was revealed that the bank account bearing No. 0433053000007320 registered in the name of Santosh Yadav had registered mobile number 9238632503 which was found to be registered in the name of Draupadi Harijan. Upon verification from the concerned service provider, notice was duly issued to the registered subscriber, who stated that the said mobile number was not being used by her. It was revealed that the present accused/applicant Kaushal Kumar Singh, being a POS agent, had illegally activated and used the said SIM in violation of the prescribed rules. 10. That, on the basis of the statement of the registered subscriber Draupadi Harijan, it was further revealed that the present accused/applicant Kaushal Kumar Singh, was involved in the illegal activation of the said SIM card. During investigation, the present accused/applicant was served notice at mobile number 8085539049 and, in his memorandum statement disclosed that along with his co-worker Ajaruddin, he was involved in the process of activating more than one SIM cards of the customers by taking their thumb impression more than once and without their information. 11.That, it was further disclosed by the present applicant that on 26.03.2024, Ajaruddin had also activated mobile numbers 9179013087, 9238632503 and 7240852949 in the name of Draupadi Bai R/o Supela, Bhilai by making her put her thumb impression three times on the pretext of withdrawing money through Aadhar card. The investigation further revealed that the accused persons/Ajaruddin obtained approximately 50 SIM cards in an illegal manner, which were sold for consideration of Rs. 500/- per SIM. And the present accused/applicant retained Rs. 100/- per SIM and the rest amount was kept by Ajaruddin. The aforesaid acts were found to be connected with the illegal use of SIM cards for cyber fraud. 5 12. That, during the course of investigation, it was further revealed that against the aforesaid bank account bearing No. 0433053000007320, reports have been registered at 02 different places in various States on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Coordination Portal/1930. The details of the said registered reports whereof as under:- Acknowledgement No. State District Police Station Category 21307240028927 HARYANA HISSAR Cyber Crime Police Station Hisar Range Hisar Online Financial Fraud 31907240098278 MAHARASHTRA BRIHAN MUMBAI CITY CYBER POLICE STATION NORTH REGION Online Financial Fraud That, a total amount of Rs. 02,11,10,263/- has been credited into the aforesaid bank account from the date of opening, and a total amount of Rs.2,11,09,232/- has been debited/withdrawn from the said account..” Apart from that, bail application of co-accused Sudheer Kumar Jain has already been rejected by this Court today in same crime number vide order dated 18/08/2026 passed in MCRC No. 6721 of 2026. Therefore, the present bail application may be rejected. 5. I have heard learned counsel appearing for the parties and perused the case diary. 6. Taking into consideration the facts and circumstances of the case and considering the role attributed to the present applicant in online cyber fraud, further bail application of co-accused Sudheer Kumar Jain has already been rejected by this Court today in same crime number vide order dated 18/08/2026 passed in MCRC No. 6721 of 2026, and also considering the contents of the affidavit 6 filed by the I.O., this Court is not inclined to release the applicant on bail. 7. Accordingly, the bail application of applicant – Kaushal Kumar Singh, involved in Crime No.283/2025 registered at Police Station Azad Chowk, District Raipur (C.G.) for the offence under Sections 317 (2), 317 (4), 317 (5), 111 & 3 (5) of the BNS, is rejected. - Sd/- (Ramesh Sinha) Chief Justice Barve