Active participation in facilitating mule accounts for organized cyber-fraud syndicate warrants denial of regular bail.

The applicants (Jai Baghel, Sheikh Shoheb, and Jujesh Sona) filed first bail applications following their arrest in connection with Crime No. 129/2025

The prosecution alleged that the applicants were part of an organized criminal syndicate involved in a large-scale cyber-fraud network

Investigation by the Cyber Range Police revealed that approximately 128 "mule" bank accounts were opened at the Bank of Maharashtra, Raipur, to receive and circulate funds obtained through fraudulent online activities

It was alleged that the applicants’ accounts saw credits totaling millions of rupees (e.g., Rs. 48,98,252/- in Jujesh Sona’s account), which were withdrawn almost immediately

Multiple complaints against these accounts were registered on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Coordination Portal across various states

The applicants argued they were falsely implicated based only on co-accused statements and cited parity with other individuals granted bail by the Supreme Court

1. Whether the applicants are entitled to regular bail under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, considering the nature of the alleged cyber-fraud and the period of incarceration

2. Whether the principle of parity applies to the applicants based on bail granted to other co-accused persons by the Supreme Court and High Court

The Court applied Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) regarding the grant of regular bail

The substantive charges were under Sections 317(2), 317(4), 317(5), 111, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), which pertain to stolen property and organized crime

The Court emphasized that economic offences involving the integrity of the financial system and wide societal repercussions must be viewed with a distinct judicial approach compared to traditional crimes

The Court reasoned that the material collected by the Investigation Officer prima facie established the applicants' active involvement in facilitating "mule" accounts for an inter-state cyber-fraud syndicate

The court noted the "systematic withdrawal" of large sums shortly after deposit, which indicated a deliberate misuse of banking channels

Regarding the plea of parity, the Court distinguished the cases: the co-accused granted bail by the Supreme Court was a woman who received a nominal amount (Rs. 8,000/-), whereas the present applicants were linked to significantly larger transactions and more central roles

The Court further noted that it had previously rejected bail for several other identically situated co-accused in the same crime number

The Court held that given the gravity of the economic offence, the inter-state ramifications, and the organized nature of the crime, it was not a fit case for bail

The trial court was directed to expedite the proceedings