MANOJ 902-BA-2401-2026.DOC IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CRIMINAL BAIL APPLICATION NO.2401 OF 2026 Aditya Dayanand Rana …Applicant V/s. The State of Maharashtra …Respondent Mr. Marmik Shah (through VC) a/w Mr. Mayuresh Deshmukh & Adv. Dikshit Jain i/by Mr. Kamlesh Tiwari, for the Applicant. Mr. Rohan Samant, for the informant. Mr. V.A. Kulkarni, APP for the Respondent-State. CORAM: SHYAM C. CHANDAK, J. DATED : 16th SEPTEMBER, 2026 P.C. :- 1. Heard learned Counsel for the parties. Perused the record. 2. Mr. Rohan Samant, learned counsel appears for the informant and seeks leave to file the Vakalatnama. Registry to accept his Vakalatnama. 3. Applicant seeks his release on bail in connection with Cr.No.132 of 2025, registered with Cyber Police Station, Central Region, Worli, Mumbai, for the offence punishable under Sections 318(4), 319(2) and 308(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (“BNS”) and Sections 66D and 67A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, on the report dated 15th August, 2025 filed by Mr. Divit Lalitkumar Jain (Informant). 4. The prosecution case is that between 6th February 2025 to 8th August 2025, via Instagram and WhatsApp, accused No.2- Jasmeen Kaur, deceived the informant by personating her as Saumya Avasthi, established friendship with the informant and, after gaining his trust, induced him to engage in obscene chats and sending his obscene photos and videos to her. Further, by WAKLE MANOJ JANARDHAN Digitally signed by WAKLE MANOJ JANARDHAN Date: 2026.09.19 12:32:04 +0530 MANOJ 902-BA-2401-2026.DOC threatening the informant to cause his defamation by making those photos and videos viral, she dishonestly induced him to pay Rs.94,47,000/- to A2. Insofar as the present applicant is concerned, as alleged, said crime was committed with the help of the applicant’s mobile phone and he has received total Rs.38,69,999/- out of the aforesaid amount. A2 is still absconding and A3 - Aman Rana, is yet not arrested. Therefore, the applicant came to be arrested. On completion of investigation, police submitted the charge-sheet. The Sessions Court rejected the bail application of the applicant. Hence, this application. 5. Learned counsel for the parties state that, during pendency of this application, the informant has settled this matter. As out of said amount of Rs.94,47,000/-, the applicant has paid Rs.19,00,000/- on 27th August, 2026 by Demand Draft and, he has agreed to pay remaining amount of Rs.19,69,999/- on or before 1st January, 2027. To fulfill that promise, the applicant has given to the informant post-dated cheques drawn on the bank account of the applicant’s uncle. The informant has already received an amount of Rs.27,00,000/-, which was seized in this crime during the course of the investigation. Therefore, the informant has no objection to release the applicant on bail. To support the aforesaid, the Consent Terms are tendered by the learned counsel for the parties. It is taken on record and marked as “X” for identification. The applicant has no criminal antecedents. He is of young age. 6. In the wake of above, I am inclined to allow the application. Hence, following Order:- (i) Applicant – Aditya Dayanand Rana shall be released on bail in connection with Cr.No.132 of 2025, registered with Cyber Police Station, Central Region, Worli, Mumbai, on his MANOJ 902-BA-2401-2026.DOC furnishing P.R. Bond in the sum of Rs.1,00,000/- with one or two sureties in the like amount. (ii) The applicant shall mark his attendance at Cyber Police Station, Central Region, Worli, Mumbai, on 1st day of month in every three months, between 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m., till the conclusion of the trial. (iii) The applicant shall regularly attend the proceedings before the jurisdictional Court unless exempted by the said Court, for the reasons to be recorded in writing. (iv) The applicant shall not tamper with the prosecution evidence and shall not directly or indirectly influence upon the prosecution witness to prevent them from deposing against him. (v) On being released from jail, the applicant shall furnish his contact number and residential address to the Investigation Officer and shall keep him updated, in case there is any change. (vi) The applicant shall not indulge in identical activities for which he has been arraigned in this case. (vii) It is clarified that any observation made in the present Order are for the purpose of deciding the present Bail application and should not influence the outcome of the trial and also not be taken as an expression of opinion on the merits of the case. 7. Application stands disposed of in the aforesaid terms. (SHYAM C. CHANDAK, J.)