Punjab and Haryana High Court Denies Anticipatory Bail to Accused in Cyber Fraud Case

Chandigarh (The Uttam Hindu): The Punjab and Haryana High Court has denied anticipatory bail to Tabrez, a person accused in a cyber fraud case involving over Rs 36 lakh. The accused allegedly posed as a police officer from the Delhi Crime Branch to defraud an elderly victim. Justice Manjari Nehru Kaul, in her ruling, emphasized that crimes involving financial extortion and impersonation of officials are a serious threat to public trust. Given the complexity of the crime and the petitioner’s alleged involvement in financial transactions, the court stated that custodial interrogation was necessary to fully uncover the conspiracy and identify other perpetrators.

The case, which was filed at the Cyber Crime Police Station in Bhiwani, involves a well-orchestrated scam. According to the FIR, the complainant, an elderly person, was trapped by a woman who made a video call and manipulated him into engaging in inappropriate acts, which were recorded. Subsequently, the victim received another call from a man claiming to be a Delhi Crime Branch officer, informing him that an obscene video of him had been posted on YouTube, and legal action would follow. This led to the victim transferring large sums of money to various bank accounts. The total defrauded amount was Rs 36,84,300. Investigations revealed that several individuals, including Tabrez, were involved in this digital and financial extortion racket.

Justice Kaul highlighted the seriousness of the allegations, noting that the accused had preyed on vulnerable individuals by exploiting fear and social vulnerabilities. While the defense argued that the petitioner’s name wasn’t mentioned in the FIR, the court stated that this did not entitle him to anticipatory bail, given the gravity of the charges and the need for further investigation into the broader conspiracy.