p. 1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK ABLAPL No.3165 of 2026 Pankaj Kumar Parida …. Petitioner(s) Mr. Sk. Zafarulla, Advocate -versus- State of Odisha …. Opposite Party(s) Mr. Debraj Mohanty, AGA CORAM: JUSTICE SIBO SANKAR MISHRA Order No. ORDER 24.04.2026 01. 1. Heard. 2. The petitioner is seeking pre-arrest bail in connection with Cyber Crime & E.O., Balasore P.S. Case No.16 of 2026 corresponding to C.T. Case No.247 of 2026 registered on the allegation of the offences under Sections 318(4)/319(2)/336(2)/3(5) of B.N.S., 2023 read with Section 66(C)/66(D) of the I.T. Act pending in the Court of the learned S.D.J.M., Balasore. 3. Learned counsel for the petitioner, on instruction from the petitioner, submits that, except the present bail application, no other bail application of the petitioner is pending in any other Court relating to the aforesaid F.I.R. p. 2 4. The prosecution case, in brief, is that the informant, who is serving as a Sub-Inspector of Police, alleged that during the course of enquiry it was ascertained that so-called “mule accounts” were being utilized by the accused persons to facilitate money laundering, with a view to conceal the origin and destination of illegally obtained funds by routing them through multiple bank accounts. It is further alleged that, upon collecting and verifying such mule accounts from different banks, it was found that substantial amounts had been transferred to the accounts of various accused persons in different denominations, including the account of the present petitioner, namely Canara Bank Account No.110238979072. It is alleged that an amount of Rs.5,00,000/- was credited to the said account, out of which the disputed amount is Rs. 3,50,001/-. 5. The complainant, Lopamudra Panda has alleged that numerous mule accounts have been opened for carrying out the illegal financial transactions including money laundering. She has also averred that the p. 3 account holders of such mule accounts are aware of the nature of the transactions being conducted through their accounts. In so far as the present petitioner, Pankaj Kumar Panda is concerned, it is alleged that a disputed amount of Rs.3,50,000/- has been credited to his bank account. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner had no knowledge regarding the source of the said amount. The investigation process is still going on. 6. Learned counsel for the State, on the other hand, submits that this is a huge transaction and a racket is being going on in the same fashion. The modus operandi of the accused persons are yet to be unearthed during the course of investigation. 7. Regard being had to the nature of allegations made by the complainant against the petitioner, I am inclined to grant the petitioner on anticipatory bail. Accordingly, it is directed that in the event the petitioner is arrested, he shall be released by the Arresting Officer, subject to the condition that he shall cooperate with the investigation and shall appear p. 4 before the I.O. as and when his presence is required for the purpose of investigation so that the larger racket which is being going on in the name of mule accounts can be honoured. Violation of any of the conditions shall entail cancellation of bail. 8. With this observation, the ABLAPL is disposed of. (S.S. Mishra) Judge Swarna