The Delhi High Court has rejected the anticipatory bail plea of a man accused of extorting ₹1.75 crore from a person by posing as a police officer over a WhatsApp video call and showing fabricated Supreme Court and CBI documents. Justice Amit Mahajan passed the order on September 25, observing that the case involves serious allegations of sophisticated digital fraud.
Serious Digital Fraud Involving Multiple Devices
The court noted that the accused allegedly used complex technological mechanisms to mislead and defraud the complainant. “Such cases, by their very nature, involve intricate methods and multiple communication devices and are used to mislead unsuspecting victims. Such crimes are on the rise and the same tend to be significantly harder to crack due to the boon of technology that is effectively misused by crooks to wreak havoc and evade the law enforcement,” the judge observed.
According to the investigation, a SIM card used to communicate with the complainant was in possession of the accused during the commission of the offence, as established through location analysis. The court noted that the ongoing investigation was “arduous” and required adequate freedom to proceed unhindered.
Bail Rejected to Ensure Unhindered Probe
Justice Mahajan held that granting pre-arrest bail at this stage would curtail the investigation. “The matter requires thorough investigation which ought not to be curtailed by passing an order granting pre-arrest bail,” he said. He further observed that the facts do not suggest any false implication. “It could not be held at this stage that the investigation is being carried out with the intention to injure or humiliate the applicant,” the court noted, dismissing the bail plea.
Modus Operandi: Police Uniforms, Fake SC Orders, and Threats
As per the complaint, the accused called the victim on May 6, 2024, posing as a police officer from Tilak Nagar police station in Mumbai. He falsely informed the complainant that a SIM card obtained using his Aadhaar had been misused to send inappropriate messages.
The complainant was threatened with action for allegedly having links with Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal, accused in money laundering cases. The accused claimed that Goyal regularly sent money to the complainant, threatening legal consequences if he did not comply.
During video calls, the accused and his associates appeared in police uniforms, showing what looked like a police station set-up. They also shared fabricated documents purportedly issued by the Supreme Court and the CBI. The complainant was asked to provide personal identification details, bank account information, and to transfer his funds into accounts controlled by the accused. Ultimately, ₹1.75 crore was extorted.
Case Registered by Delhi Police Special Cell
Following the complaint, the Special Cell of the Delhi Police registered a case involving forgery, impersonation, and digital manipulation. The investigation is ongoing.
