The Uttarakhand High Court has refused to grant bail to a man accused of participating in an organised cyber fraud operation that involved impersonating government officials to cheat unsuspecting citizens.
Hearing the bail application during vacation, Justice Ashish Naithani observed that the offence went beyond financial deceit, striking at the core of public trust. “This is not merely a case of financial fraud, but a crime that undermines public trust in institutions,” the court remarked.
According to case records, the accused, Rahul—a resident of Haridwar—along with his accomplices, would call people and falsely claim that non-bailable warrants had been issued against them. Using threats of arrest, they allegedly coerced the victims into transferring money via QR codes to avoid supposed legal action.
The state government, opposing Rahul’s bail plea, submitted that critical evidence—such as fake warrants, laptops, computers, and other digital equipment—was seized from the residence of the main accused, Krishnakant, only after Rahul’s arrest. This, the prosecution contended, established a clear link and suggested Rahul’s involvement in a broader criminal conspiracy.
Rahul’s counsel argued that no incriminating material was directly recovered from him and maintained that he had been falsely implicated. However, the court found the nature of the allegations and the material already collected sufficient to reject the bail plea.
Justice Naithani noted that releasing the accused at this stage could risk tampering with evidence and potentially derail the investigation. Citing the organised and serious nature of the cyber fraud, the court declined to grant bail.
