Bail denied in cyber fraud case involving systematic operation of bank accounts as financial "mule accounts."

The applicant, Kamleshwar, filed a first bail application after being arrested on August 7, 2025, in connection with Crime No. 218/2025

The prosecution alleged that the applicant’s Axis Bank account was used to receive and debit funds totaling over ₹2.22 Lakhs obtained through online fraud

An additional affidavit by the Investigating Officer revealed that 14 "Mule Accounts" were identified at the Bank of Maharashtra and Axis Bank, which were utilized for cyber fraud across multiple states

The applicant allegedly confessed in a memorandum statement that he provided his bank accounts to co-accused persons for online cybercrimes

1. Whether the applicant is entitled to regular bail under Section 483 of the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, considering his period of incarceration and the nature of evidence

The court applied Section 483 of the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, which governs the High Court’s power to grant bail

Sections 111 (Organized Crime), 317(1) (Stolen property), 371(2) (Habitual dealing in stolen property), 317(4), and 317(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023

The court also considered the principle of parity and judicial consistency, noting that bail applications of two other co-accused in the same crime had previously been rejected

The court evaluated the gravity of the allegations and the strength of the evidence collected during the investigation.

Although the applicant argued that mere credit of money into an account does not establish intent or knowledge, the court relied on the Investigating Officer’s additional affidavit

This affidavit established that the applicant's account served as a "Mule Account" within a larger inter-state cyber fraud network

The court noted that "concrete evidence" demonstrated the applicant’s direct involvement in facilitating financial fraud

Furthermore, the court emphasized that bail for two co-accused individuals (in MCRC No. 8263 of 2025 and MCRC No. 974 of 2026) had already been rejected, militating against the grant of bail to the present applicant

The bail application was rejected

The trial court was granted liberty to proceed with and conclude the trial expeditiously