Mohali court denies bail in ₹72L cyber fraud case

The case stems from a cyber fraud in which scammers allegedly impersonated police, CBI and ED officials to intimidate their victim

A Mohali court has refused to grant regular bail to a man involved in a ₹72 lakh cyber fraud case, citing the seriousness of the offence and the evidence directly linking him to the crime. Additional Sessions Judge TPS Randhawa rejected his application after noting that the investigation clearly established his active role in the alleged cheating scheme. The accused has been identified as Arun, 23, a resident of Muzaffarnagar (UP).

The court observed that a substantial amount was defrauded and several other accused in the network remain untraceable. (HT Photo)

The case was registered at the state cybercrime police station, SAS Nagar, under Sections 308(2), 318(4), 319(2), 338, 336(3), 340(2), 61(2) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Sections 66-C and 66-B of the IT Act.

The case stems from a cyber fraud in which scammers allegedly impersonated police, CBI and ED officials to intimidate their victim. Complainant Mahendra Prakash Vyas told the police that callers threatened him with fabricated “money laundering” cases and coerced him into transferring ₹72 lakh into several bank accounts.

Investigators informed the court that Arun’s involvement was not peripheral but central, as ₹5 lakh of the siphoned amount was routed into an account linked to a suspicious or possibly fake firm named Umath Infotech. According to the case file, Arun withdrew the entire ₹5 lakh via cheque on the same day, Oct 9, 2024, after the transfer was made. His counsel, Harsh Sharma, argued that the amount was part of a routine business transaction with a co-accused, but the court found no merit in the explanation.

The court observed that a substantial amount was defrauded and several other accused in the network remain untraceable. It held that releasing Arun on bail could hamper the investigation and undermine efforts to apprehend the remaining members of the racket. The court noted that Arun has been in custody since May 19, 2025 and had earlier been denied bail by the area magistrate as well.