1 2026:CGHC:16431 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 1718 of 2026 Manoj Verma S/o Dheluram Verma Aged About 33 Years R/o Ward No. 16, Village- Charuada, Post- Dharsiwa, District 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 the Ministry of Home Affairs' "Samanvay" portal flagged 17 mule accounts at DCB Bank, Raipur (IFSC: DCBL0000212) used to funnel proceeds of cyber fraud, by these fraudulent transactions amounting Rs. 3,64,216/- were reportedly deposited into these accounts between 01/01/2024 and 30/06/2025. During investigation, one Jaspreet Singh (having account No. 21211100010353) alleged in his statement that he provided his account RAJSHEKHAR SONI Digitally signed by RAJSHEKHAR SONI 2 to the Applicant, Manoj Verma. “It is further alleged that the Applicant sold this account to the Ravi Mehar, for a consideration of Rs.5,000/-, as such involved in the commission of the said offence. 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 18.02.2026, the Investigating Officer of the case, Police Station – Range Cyber, Raipur, District – Raipur (C.G.), has filed his affidavit showing the incriminating evidence 3 collected against the applicant during the course of investigation, which is quoted here as under: “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 18.02.2026 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 18.02.2026 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 4 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 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. 21211100010353 was found in the name of Jaspreet Singh in which, the Mobile Number 8269909660 is found to be registered in which, within a short span of time, financial transactions of Rs. 26,33,550/- has been found to be transacted illegally through cyber fraud/crime since its opening date. 7. That, the complainant Mahesh & 02 Others have registered online reports regarding the online cyber fraud and the account has been found to be used to receive the money from online cyber fraud vide Complaint Acknowledgement Number 21506240010874 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. The details of the complaints made by the various victims of the various States of the country regarding online financial cyber fraud/crime committed with them, are as under: - Acknowledgement No. State District Police Station 21506240010874 Kerala Ernakulam City Hill Palace 21604240015957 Karnataka Bangalore City North CEN Crime PS 31603240022958 Karnataka Bangalore City H.A.L. 8. That, thereafter, during investigation, the accused/aforesaid mule bank account holder namely Jaspreet Singh was summoned and questioned and his memorandum statement was taken infront of the relevant witnesses wherein he has categorically deposed that, he has sold his aforesaid bank account to the present accused applicant Manoj Verma at Rs. 5000/-. Thereafter, the present accused applicant was summoned and questioned and his memorandum statement was taken infront of the relevant witnesses wherein he has categorically confessed the crime. 5 9. That, during the course of investigation, it was found that, total amount of Rs. 26,33,550/- has been credited in the aforesaid Bank Account Number of the accused from the date of its opening on 03.05.2024 and till 31.12.2024, a total amount of Rs. 26,30,485/- has been withdrawn by the accused applicant from the aforesaid bank account. 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 Court, and the material collected during the course of investigation, it transpires that a prima facie case is made out against the present 6 applicant Manoj Verma. The record reflects that, on the basis of information received through the Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, 17 mule bank accounts in DCB Bank, Raipur Branch were identified as being used for routing proceeds of cyber fraud, pursuant to which Crime No. 452/2025 came to be registered. During investigation, it has been revealed that Bank Account No. 21211100010353, opened in the name of Jaspreet Singh, was utilized for illegal transactions amounting to Rs. 26,33,550/-, out of which Rs. 26,30,485/- has been withdrawn within a short period. The said account has been linked with multiple cyber fraud complaints, including those reported by Mahesh and other victims through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, thereby establishing its direct nexus with fraudulent activities. 8. The memorandum statement of the account holder Jaspreet Singh clearly indicates that he had sold his bank account to the present applicant Manoj Verma for a consideration of Rs. 5,000/-. Further, the memorandum statement of the present applicant reflects his involvement in the said transactions, thereby prima facie establishing that he was in control and operation of the mule account used for siphoning off proceeds of cyber fraud. 9. Considering the gravity and nature of the offence, the magnitude of the defrauded amount, the organized modus operandi adopted by the 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 7 released on bail, this Court is not inclined to grant bail to the applicant. 10. Accordingly, this first bail application of applicant – Manoj Verma, 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. 11. Needless to say that the learned trial Court concerned is at liberty to proceed with the trial and conclude the same, expeditiously. 12. 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