Provision of Personal Bank Account for Organized Cyber Fraud Precludes Grant of Regular Bail

The applicant, Suryapratap Kurrey, filed his first bail application under Section 483 of the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS), seeking regular bail in connection with Crime No. 358/2025

The prosecution alleged that the applicant, acting as a "mule" account holder, provided his bank account to an organized criminal group involved in cyber fraud

Investigation revealed that the applicant’s UCO bank account received ₹55,000 from victims in Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh on 19.04.2025

Since its opening in 2021, the account saw total credits of ₹11,59,050 and debits of ₹9,98,845.47, allegedly representing the proceeds of crime

The applicant has been in custody since 15.11.2025

1. Whether the applicant is entitled to regular bail under Section 483 of the BNSS, considering the Nature of allegations and the evidence regarding his role in an organized cyber fraud syndicate

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

Section 111 (Organized Crime), Section 317(2) (Receiving stolen property), Section 371(4) (Habitual dealing in stolen property), and Section 317(5) (Assisting in concealment of stolen property) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS)

The court balanced the individual’s right to liberty against the gravity and widespread social impact of organized cybercrime

The court analyzed the additional affidavit filed by the Investigating Officer, which detailed the flow of fraudulent funds into the applicant's account

While the applicant argued there was no direct evidence of him committing cheating and that the trial would be lengthy, the court noted that the bank records established a clear nexus between his account and multiple cybercrime complaints across different states

The court reasoned that providing a bank account to an organized gang for "mule" operations constitutes an active role in deceiving innocent individuals and misappropriating funds

Given the organized nature of the crime and the significant volume of suspicious transactions (over ₹11 Lakhs), the court found the gravity of the offense outweighed the factors favoring bail

The bail application was rejected at this stage and the trial court was granted the liberty to proceed with and conclude the trial expeditiously