CRL OP(MD). No.14978 of 2026 BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT ( Criminal Jurisdiction ) Date : 21.07.2026 PRESENT THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE K.RAJASEKAR CRL OP(MD)No.14978 of 2026 1.Raja Mohan 2.Maria Leela ... Petitioners / A1 and A2 Versus The State of Tamil Nadu, Rep by the Inspector of Police, DCB Nagercoil, Kanniyakumari District. (Crime No.21 of 2026) ... Respondent / Complainant PRAYER :-Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 483 of the BNSS, 2023, to enlarge the petitioners on bail in Crime No.21 of 2026 on the file of the respondent police. For Petitioners : Mr.V.Kathirvel, Senior Counsel for Mr.K.Pranhu, Advocate For Respondent : Mr.T.Lenin Kumar, Counsel for State of TN (Crl. Side) 1/5 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP(MD). No.14978 of 2026 ORDER : The Court made the following order :- The petitioners/Accused Nos.1 and 2, who were arrested and remanded to judicial custody on 03.07.2026 for the offences punishable under Section 420 of IPC, in Crime No.21 of 2026 on the file of the respondent police, seek enlargement on bail. 2. The case of the prosecution is that the petitioners promised to secure employment for the defacto complainant and three others and, on that representation, collected a total sum of Rs.33,00,000/-. Thereafter, the petitioners allegedly failed to secure the promised employment and cheated the victims. Based on the said allegations, the present case has been registered against the petitioners. 3. The learned senior counsel appearing for the petitioners submitted that the amount received by the petitioners was only by way of a loan and not towards securing employment. He further submitted that, during the enquiry before the respondent Police, the petitioners had undertaken to repay the amount. Pursuant thereto, the petitioners have already repaid a sum of Rs.2,00,000/- and agreed to repay the remaining 2/5 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP(MD). No.14978 of 2026 amount of Rs.9,00,000/- in two instalments. It was further submitted that the first instalment is payable on or before 31.08.2026. According to the learned Senior Counsel, the present complaint has been lodged even before the expiry of the agreed time for repayment. He therefore contended that the case is not one of job racketing and prayed for the grant of bail. 4. The learned Counsel appearing for the State reiterated the prosecution case and submitted that the present case is not based on a solitary complaint, but involves four victims. He further submitted that the petitioners collected a total sum of Rs.33,00,000/- from the victims on the false promise of securing employment. The investigation is still in progress. It was also submitted that the petitioners were arrested only on 03.07.2026 and that no amount has so far been recovered from them. Therefore, he opposed the grant of bail. 5. This Court heard both sides and perused the materials available on record. 3/5 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP(MD). No.14978 of 2026 6. Considering the nature and gravity of the allegations, the specific allegation that the petitioners, by taking advantage of their official position, collected a sum of Rs.33,00,000/- from four victims on the false promise of securing employment, the fact that the investigation is still in progress, that the petitioners were arrested only on 03.07.2026, and that no substantial recovery has so far been effected, this Court is not inclined to enlarge the petitioners on bail at this stage. Accordingly, this Criminal Original Petition stands dismissed. 21.07.2026 pal To 1.The Inspector of Police, DCB Nagercoil, Kanniyakumari District. 2.The Additional Public Prosecutor, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai. 4/5 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP(MD). No.14978 of 2026 K.RAJASEKAR ,J. pal ORDER IN CRL OP(MD) No.14978 of 2026 Date : 21.07.2026 5/5 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis