1 2026:CGHC:16432 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 1525 of 2026 Ajay Kumar S/o Shri Bakhori Ravidas Aged About 25 Years R/o D W- 67, Indraprastha Colony, P.S. D.D. Nagar, Raipur C.G. ... Applicant versus State Of Chhattisgarh Through Police Station Civil Lines, District – Raipur C.G. ... Non-applicant For Applicant : Mr. Pragalbha Sharma, Advocates. For Non-applicant/State : Mr. Sourabh K. Pande, Dy. Advocate General. Hon'ble Shri Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Order On Board 09.04.2026 1. This is the First bail application filed under Section 483 of the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for grant of regular bail to the applicant arrested in connection with Crime No. 452/2025, registered at Police Station – Civil Lines Raipur, District – Raipur (C.G.) for alleged commission of offence punishable under Sections 111, 3(5), 317(2), 317(4) and 317(5) of the BNS. 2. Case of the prosecution, in brief, is that as per the instructions received from the Cyber Crime Reporting Portal “Sammanvay”, 17 bank accounts in DCB Bank, Raipur were identified as being u8sed to receive funds from cyber fraud. It is alleged that an account in the name of Gul Hamza was opened through the applicant, who is alleged to be an “account broker”. Total fraudulent transactions across these accounts are reported to be Rs. 3,64,216/-, though the specific account RAJSHEKHAR SONI Digitally signed by RAJSHEKHAR SONI 2 linked to the applicant (No. 21214700000435), thus, FIR was lodged. Hence, this application. 3. Learned counsel appearing for the applicant submits that the applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the present case. It is further submitted that the charge-sheet has been submitted in this case. It is further submitted that no incriminating material or proceeds of crime have been recovered from the applicant. The entire case is based on such conjecture and surmises without any direct material evidence against the applicant. The applicant is in jail since 21.12.2025, and the conclusion of the trial shall take quite long time. Therefore, he prays for grant of bail. 4. On the other hand, learned State counsel opposes the bail application and submits that from the perusal of the case-diary it transpires that the material collected during investigation clearly reveals a deep-rooted, structured and profit-oriented criminal conspiracy in which the present applicant has played an indispensable and conscious role in facilitating the commission of large-scale cyber frauds affecting numerous innocent citizens across the country. 5. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the material available on record. 6. In compliance of the Court’s order dated 12.02.2026, the Investigating Officer of the case, Police Station – Range Cyber, Raipur, District – Raipur (C.G.), has filed his affidavit showing the incriminating evidence collected against the applicant during the course of investigation, which is quoted here as under: 3 “1. That, I am posted as the Investigating Officer of the subject crime number, Police Station Range Cyber, Raipur, District Raipur (C.G.) and duly authorized to swear this affidavit on behalf of the Non Applicant/State in compliance of the Hon'ble Court's order dated 12.02.2026 and as such fully conversant with the facts of the case. 2. That, the subject case came up for hearing before the Hon'ble Court on 12.02.2026 and after hearing of this matter, the Hon'ble Court has been pleased to direct the concerned Investigating Officer to file his personal affidavit disclosing the evidence collected during the course of investigation against the applicant. Therefore, in compliance whereof, the instant affidavit is being filed before this Hon'ble Court for its kind consideration. 3. That, in compliance of the Hon'ble Court's order, it is most humbly and respectfully submitted that, the Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs, has created a Cyber Crime Reporting Portal to prevent cyber crime in India in which, the victims of cyber crime report online by giving details of the cyber fraud committed with them and by filling the information of mobile numbers and bank accounts used in cyber fraud. 4. That, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India has established a Cyber Crime Reporting Portal to prevent cyber crime in India. Victims of cyber crime can report online by detailing their cyber fraud, including the mobile number and bank account used in the fraud. These are the bank accounts used by cyber crime offenders to launder fraud proceeds. 5. That, on the basis of the information received from the Cyber Crime Reporting Portal Coordination, there are 17 bank accounts of Bank of DCB, Branch at Raipur have been opened, which were being used for receiving the money of cyber fraud, therefore, the details of the aforesaid bank accounts have been sent to the Police Station Civil Lines, Raipur for further necessary action and accordingly, the FIR under Crime No. 452/2025 has been registered against the aforesaid bank account holders for the offence punishable under aforesaid Sections of the BNS, 2023 and the same was forwarded to the Police Station Range Cyber, Raipur for further 4 necessary investigation in the matter. Thereafter, the details of aforesaid bank account holders, their linked registered mobile numbers, KYC and other relevant information have been obtained from the concerned Bank and the matter was taken into investigation. 6. That, during the course of investigation, it was found that, the said DCB Bank Account No. 21214700000435 was found in the name of Gul Hamza and the said Gul Hamza has stated in his statement that, he has given the aforesaid bank account kit to the accused Ajay Kumar, Mobile Number 7489502938. In the aforesaid DCB Bank Account number, the Mobile Number 8359055160 is linked and registered in which, within a short span of time, financial transactions of Rs. 1,29,88,840/- has been found to be transacted illegally through cyber fraud/crime since its opening date. 7. That, the complainant Shankar Kharade has registered online reports regarding the online cyber fraud of Rs. 10,000/- on 09.07.2024 and the account has been found to be used to receive the money from online cyber fraud vide Complaint Acknowledgement Number 31907240098050 in National Cyber Crime Reporting Coordination Portal/1930, hence, the crime was registered against the different mule bank account holders and the investigation was taken into investigation. 8. That, thereafter, during investigation, the accused/aforesaid mule bank account holder Gul Hamza was summoned and questioned and his memorandum statements was taken infront of the relevant witnesses wherein he has categorically deposed that, he has given the aforesaid Bank Account kit to the present accused applicant Ajay Kumar. Thereafter, the present accused applicant Ajay Kumar was summoned and interrogated wherein, he has deposed in his statement that, he has got opened the aforesaid bank account in the name of Gul Hamza and has handed over the said bank account KIT, ATM Card, Passbook to the accused Prakash Singh and in exchange of which, the accused Prakash Singh's friend has provided the present accused applicant Ajay Kumar with a loan of Rs. 2 Lacs. The accused Prakash Singh reportedly possessed Gul Hamza's Cheque Book and 5 ATM and he has admitted to having made all the transactions in the aforesaid bank account. 9. That, during the course of investigation, the said accused Prakash Singh was summoned and questioned and his memorandum statement was taken infront of the relevant witnesses wherein he has categorically deposed that, he had lent the present accused applicant Ajay Kumar Rs. 60,000/- once and Rs. 90,000/- in exchange for gold and there was a mutual monetary transaction. 10. That, the present accused Applicant has been arrested on 21.12.2025 by the police of Police Station Civil Lines, Raipur/Range Cyber Raipur, in connection with Crime No. 452/2025, registered at Police Station Range Cyber, Raipur, District Raipur (C.G.) against the accused Applicant and other accused persons for the offence punishable under Sections 317 (2), 317 (4), 317 (5), 111 and 3 (5) of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita, 2023 and was sent on judicial remind. However, the matter is still under investigation and after due completion of the investigation, the charge sheet would be filed against the present accused applicant and other accused persons before the concerned Jurisdictional Magistrate below. 11. That, if the present accused applicant is granted bail, he will certainly abscond which will have an adverse effect on the investigation of the case and his morale will be boosted and he will again form his own gang and repeat the serious crime like cyber fraud which will create resentment in the society. Therefore, if he is granted bail, he will certainly abscond and influence the evidence, as he has been arrested after considerable efforts made by the concerned police authorities. 12. That, the contents of the attached Affidavit at Paragraphs No. 01 to 11, have been drafted under my instruction and the contents thereof are true and correct on the basis of the records, available in the office.” 7. Considering the facts & circumstances of the case, allegations levelled against the applicant in the FIR, and upon due consideration of the affidavit filed by the Investigating Officer pursuant to the order of this 6 Court, and the material collected during the course of investigation, it transpires that a prima facie case is established against the present applicant Ajay Kumar. The record reveals that, pursuant to inputs received from the Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, 17 mule bank accounts in DCB Bank, Raipur Branch were identified, which were being used for routing proceeds of cyber fraud, leading to registration of Crime No. 452/2025. 8. During investigation, it has surfaced that Bank Account No. 21214700000435, opened in the name of Gul Hamza, was used for illegal transactions amounting to Rs. 1,29,88,840/- within a short span of time. The said account has also been directly linked to cyber fraud complaints, including a transaction of Rs. 10,000/- reported by complainant Shankar Kharade, thereby establishing its nexus with fraudulent activities. 9. From the memorandum statements and material collected, it is evident that the present applicant Ajay Kumar played a pivotal role in the operation of the said mule account. The account holder Gul Hamza has categorically stated that he handed over the bank account kit to the present applicant, and the applicant has admitted that he got the account opened and subsequently transferred the entire banking kit to co-accused Prakash Singh in exchange for monetary consideration. This clearly reflects the applicant’s active involvement in facilitating the use of bank accounts for illegal financial transactions. 10. Considering the gravity and nature of the offence, the magnitude of the defrauded amount, the organized modus operandi adopted by the 7 accused persons, and the existence of cogent evidence including memorandum statements and financial records, this Court is of the opinion that the applicant was an integral part of the fraudulent scheme. In such circumstances, and keeping in view the possibility of the applicant tampering with evidence or influencing witnesses if released on bail, this Court is not inclined to grant bail to the applicant. 11. Accordingly, this first bail application of applicant – Ajay Kumar, involved in Crime No. 452/2025, registered at Police Station – Civil Lines Raipur, District – Raipur (C.G.) for alleged commission of offence punishable under Sections 111, 3(5), 317(2), 317(4) and 317(5) of the BNS, is rejected at this stage. 12. Needless to say that the learned trial Court concerned is at liberty to proceed with the trial and conclude the same, expeditiously. 13. 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 Rajshekhar