An Ahmedabad court has refused to grant regular bail to a man accused of acting as a money mule in a sophisticated cyber fraud case, where the victim was digitally imprisoned and defrauded of Rs 17 lakh. The order underscores the judiciary's tough stance on financial cybercrimes.
Court Rejects Bail Plea in Cyber Fraud Case
On Monday, an additional sessions court in Ahmedabad dismissed the regular bail application of Anil Karavadra, a resident of Porbandar. Karavadra is alleged to have provided his bank account to cybercriminals who executed a 'digital arrest' scam in September. The court, presided over by Additional Sessions Judge P B Patel, found the allegations serious and deemed it inappropriate to release the accused at the current stage of investigation.
The Modus Operandi of the Digital Arrest Scam
The scam unfolded between September 3 and 13. The victim received a call from a cybercriminal posing as Sub-Inspector Vijay Khanna from Colaba police station. The fraudster claimed the victim's account in a nationalised bank in Andheri, Mumbai, was involved in money laundering. To lend credibility, the accused sent forged documents to the victim.
The scammer then placed the victim under 'digital arrest', a tactic where the victim is psychologically coerced into staying on call or online, under threat of immediate arrest. During this period, the victim was defrauded of a massive Rs 17 lakh.
The Role of the Mule Account and Arrest
Investigations by the Ahmedabad Cybercrime police revealed that a sum of Rs 5 lakh from the extorted money was funneled into Anil Karavadra's bank account. Police allege that Karavadra, acting as a mule account holder, subsequently transferred this amount to various other accounts. For his role, he reportedly received a commission of Rs 20,000.
Based on this financial trail, the police arrested Karavadra in November. During the bail hearing, public prosecutor Sudhir Bhrahmbhatt strongly opposed the application, detailing the accused's involvement and the scam's methodology to the court.
Judicial Reasoning for Bail Rejection
In his order rejecting bail, Judge P B Patel observed that the accused had received a substantial amount of Rs 5 lakh into his account. The court noted, "Though he knew that the money did not belong to him, he transferred it to other accounts to get his commission. There is an allegation of cyber fraud. Investigation is required, and it is not proper to grant him bail at this stage."
This ruling highlights the legal risks for individuals who allow their bank accounts to be used for transferring illicit funds, treating them as active participants in the crime. The case remains under investigation as authorities work to trace the other beneficiaries and the masterminds behind this digital arrest scam.
