Chattisgarh High Court
Raviraj Pandey vs State Of Chhattisgarh on 17 March, 2026
Author: Ramesh Sinha
Bench: Ramesh Sinha
1
2026:CGHC:12758
NAFR
HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR
MCRC No. 1547 of 2026
Raviraj Pandey S/o Shri Santosh Pandey Aged About 28 Years Near Marwadi
Shamsaan Ghat, Goura Choura Kailashpuri, Distt. Raipur, Chhattisgarh
... Applicant
versus
State of Chhattisgarh Through P/S Range Cyer Civil Line, Distt. Raipur,
Chhattisgarh
... Non-Applicant
For Applicant : Mr. Ajay Kumar Mishra, Advocate.
For Non-Applicant/State : Mr. Saumya Rai, Deputy Government Advocate.
Digitally
signed by
Hon'ble Shri Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice
PREETI
PREETI
KUMARI
KUMARI
Date:
Order on Board
2026.03.18
17:12:40
+0530
17.03.2026
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. 129/2025 registered at Police Station - Range Cyber Civil Line, District - Raipur (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Sections 317(2), 317(4), 317(5), 111 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS).
2. The prosecution story, in brief, is that the matter relates to mule accounts, wherein the applicant, along with other co-accused persons, allegedly committed cyber fraud by opening multiple new accounts and defrauding a sum of Rs. 64,10,855/-. At present, cyber-crime is increasing in number, and the alleged offence is prima facie against 2 society at large. In the present case, it is alleged that a syndicate of accused persons is involved in committing cyber fraud. The police have registered the offence under the aforesaid Sections as FIR No. 129/2025, a copy of the FIR is being filed as Annexure A-2. In the present case, some witnesses have been examined. Some co-accused persons have already been granted bail by the Hon'ble High Court, and a copy of the same is enclosed as Annexure A-4. The present applicant has filed this bail 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 the allegations raised against the applicants are false and fabricated. The applicants have neither committed nor participated in any such act which may amount to any of the offences mentioned above. The conclusion of the trial is likely to take a prolonged time, and further, no prima-facie case is made out against the present applicant, therefore, they may be released on bail. He further submits that other co-accused persons in MCRC No. 497/2026 and 395/2026 were granted bail by the Hon'ble High Court, after the Hon'ble Apex Court granted bail in SLP (Cr.) No. 13678/2025 vide order dated 13.10.2025. The case of the present applicant is similar, and therefore, bail is sought on the basis of parity. No documentary evidence has been found by the prosecution against the applicant to show involvement in any online fraud. The applicant only received a sum of Rs. 2,000/- from the main accused in connection with the use of his bank account. He also submits that the applicant has no previous criminal antecedents and the applicant is in jail since 03.06.2025, and the conclusion of the trial shall take quite 3 long time. Therefore, he prays for grant of bail.
4. On the other hand, learned State counsel opposes the bail application and submits that the charge-sheet has been filed. He further submits that from the perusal of record, it transpires that during the course of investigation, it was found that, the arrested accused mule bank account holder Raviraj Pandey, Resident of Raipur vide Bank of Maharashtra, Raipur Branch, Account Number 60486722265 in which, the Mobile Number 8962983154 was found to be linked/registered in which, within a short span of time, financial transactions of Rs. 30,34,660/- has been found to be transacted illegally through cyber fraud since its opening date. Thus, it appears that the applicant/accused has carried out extraordinary financial transactions through the said account. Considering the nature of the offence and the circumstances in which it has been committed, it prima facie appears to be an organized crime carried out through cyber crime. Thus, it is an organized cyber crime committed by the applicant and the co-accused persons. As such, the bail application deserves to be rejected.
5. Learned State counsel further submits that the bail applications of other co-accused persons have already been rejected by this Court vide orders dated 17.11.2025 and 06.02.2026 passed in MCRC Nos. 8228/2025 and 10207/2025, respectively. Therefore, the bail application of present applicant is also liable to be rejected on the same ground.
6. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the case diary.
7. In compliance of the Court's order dated 12.02.2026, the Investigating Officer of the subject Crime Number, Police Station Range Cyber, 4 Raipur, District - Raipur (C.G.), has filed his affidavit showing the incriminating evidence collected against the applicant during the course of investigation, which is quoted here as under:
6. That, during the course of investigation, it was found that, the arrested accused mule bank account holder Raviraj Pandey, Resident of Raipur vide Bank of Maharashtra, Raipur Branch, Account Number 60486722265 in which, the Mobile Number 8962983154 was found to be linked/registered in which, within a short span of time, financial transactions of Rs. 30,34,660/- has been found to be transacted illegally through cyber fraud since its opening date.
7. That, the complainant Rakesh Shah has registered online reports regarding the online cyber fraud of Rs. 990/- on 28.04.2024 and the account has been found to be used to receive the money from online cyber fraud vide Complaint Acknowledgement Number 31904240061859 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.
8. That, a total amount of Rs. 30,34,660/- has been credited into the aforesaid bank account of the accused from the date of opening dated 28.04.2024 and the total amount of Rs. 30,33,661/- has been withdrawn by the present accused applicant till 31.12.2024.
9. That, against the aforesaid bank account number, there is one complaint has been registered in the National Cyber Crime Reporting Coordination Portal/1930, the details whereof, is as under:-
Acknowledgment State District Remarks
31904240061859 Maharashtra Navi Online Finance
Mumbai Fraud
PS
Nerul
5
10. That, thereafter, during investigation, the
accused/aforesaid mule bank account holder Raviraj Pandey was summoned and questioned and his memorandum statements was taken infront of the relevant witnesses wherein he has categorically deposed that, he has sold his bank account to the accused Sheikh Shoab alongwith the Bank KIT and Net Banking ID at the rate of Rs. 5000/-.
8. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, allegations levelled against the applicant in the FIR, and from the perusal of the records available, it transpires that the applicant was actively and consciously involved in a well-organized and systematic cyber crime syndicate, further, from perusal of the record, it transpires that during the course of investigation, it was found that, the arrested accused mule bank account holder Raviraj Pandey, Resident of Raipur vide Bank of Maharashtra, Raipur Branch, Account Number 60486722265 in which, the Mobile Number 8962983154 was found to be linked/registered in which, within a short span of time, financial transactions of Rs. 30,34,660/- has been found to be transacted illegally through cyber fraud since its opening date, further the accused/aforesaid mule bank account holder Raviraj Pandey was summoned and questioned and his memorandum statements was taken infront of the relevant witnesses wherein he has categorically deposed that, he has sold his bank account to the accused Sheikh Shoab alongwith the Bank KIT and Net Banking ID at the rate of Rs. 5000/-, also considering the fact that the bail applications of co-accused persons have already been rejected by this Court vide orders dated 17.11.2025 and 06.02.2026 passed in MCRC Nos. 8228/2025 and 10207/2025, respectively, thus, this Court is of the opinion that it is not a fit case to enlarge the applicant on regular bail. 6
9. Accordingly, this first bail application of applicant - Raviraj Pandey involved in Crime No. 129/2025 registered at Police Station - Range Cyber Civil Line, District - Raipur (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Sections 317(2), 317(4), 317(5), 111 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), is rejected at this stage.
10. Needless to say that the learned trial Court concerned is at liberty to proceed with the trial and conclude the same, expeditiously.
11. 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 Preeti